Columbia Care Inc.  (OTCQX: CCHWF) is buying privately-held Green Leaf Medical, LLC  for approximately $240 million with the potential for additional performance-based milestone payments. Columbia will make a payment of $240 million, consisting of a cash payment of $45 million with the balance of $195 million being satisfied by the issuance of 43,900,144 common shares of the company. The deal is expected to close in the summer of 2021 and Columbia said the deal is immediately accretive.

By acquiring Green Leaf, Columbia said it substantially expands its footprint and operating scale in the East Coast and Mid-Atlantic. It adds roughly 400,000 ft of cultivation and production capacity, four operating dispensaries and six undeveloped, but permitted dispensaries, in key limited license markets. It also brings vertical integration in PA and MD and immediately positions Columbia Care as a leading wholesaler.

“This combination affirms Columbia Care’s position as one of the largest cultivators, manufacturers, and retailers in four key states – PA, VA, OH and MD – three of which are expected to convert from medical to adult-use in the next 24 months. Green Leaf complements our retail footprint and brings wholesale leadership through which we can drive our portfolio of brands and unique products. The transaction is immediately accretive to gross margin, Adjusted EBITDA and Cash Flow from Operations,” said Nicholas Vita, CEO of Columbia Care. “Ohio and Pennsylvania are already two of our top-performing markets by revenue and Adjusted EBITDA, and this transaction makes us one of the largest, most scaled wholesale and retail operators. In Maryland and Virginia, Green Leaf materially expands our wholesale footprint, retail dispensary network and the scope of our home delivery services. Acquiring Green Leaf immediately converts Maryland to an Adjusted EBITDA positive market. In addition, it accelerates our growth and profitability in Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania. No organization in the industry will be better positioned to serve patients and customers in the mid-Atlantic than Columbia Care. ”

Commenting on the acquisition, Philip Goldberg, Green Leaf’s CEO and Co-Founder, said, “Columbia Care is the ideal partner to take Green Leaf through its next phase of growth. In conjunction with its existing scale and market-leading strategy across its portfolio, Columbia Care’s dedication to ensuring optimal accessibility and product quality aligns with our values and will improve our ability to serve and expand our customer base throughout the mid-Atlantic.”

Kevin Goldberg, Co-Founder, General Counsel and President of Green Leaf added: “We are excited to have the opportunity to expand the gLeaf brand beyond the mid-Atlantic region, and our partnership with Columbia Care gives us the ability to accomplish this quickly and efficiently. As founders and shareholders, we’ve built one of the best organizations in the industry, and we wanted to partner with a like-minded company in terms of its mission, values and culture. We look forward to joining Columbia Care’s leadership team to capitalize on the many operational synergies across each of our markets and deliver unparalleled results.”