GURU Organic Energy Becomes the Exclusive Energy Drink Partner for the Canadian Elite Basketball League Championship Weekend

• GURU's first major sports partnership focuses on bringing Good Energy through authentic engagement with its Canadian target audiences
  

• CEBL Championship weekend, from August 10 to 14, features the run for the CEBL Championship trophy as well as a street festival, concerts, basketball events and community events

• Weekend events also include numerous activation and media opportunities for GURU to build brand awareness in the Canadian market
  

MONTREAL, Aug. 09, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GURU Organic Energy Corp. (TSX: GURU) (“GURU” or the “Company”), Canada’s leading organic energy drink brand, is pleased to announce its first sports partnership, as the exclusive energy drink partner for the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) Championship weekend. The CEBL partnership includes a comprehensive media plan that comprises broadcast brand advertising and fun-filled activation opportunities within the weekend events.

The CEBL Championship weekend is a five-day event taking place at various locations in Ottawa from August 10 to 14, featuring the run for the CEBL Championship trophy at TD Place Arena alongside a slate of exciting activities, including a street festival, a concert line-up of top performers, basketball events and playful activities designed to engage the community. The CEBL’s vision aligns with GURU’s own values when it comes to strengthening relations with local communities and supporting them through various initiatives. The CEBL is more than just basketball; it’s about community, art, music, lifestyle and much more.

“We’re excited to be partnering with the CEBL for this amazing event,” said Carl Goyette, President and CEO of GURU. “This first major sports partnership couldn’t be a better fit for GURU. Basketball is considered the second-fastest-growing sport in the world and the game most played or watched by our core target consumers. On top of that, the CEBL is a purely Canadian entity with deep-rooted community values, which made this an obvious choice for our brand. This will be a great opportunity to bring our Good Energy to a growing number of Canadians who care about getting their energy from plant-based products filled with natural, energy boosting and functional ingredients.”   

“It’s always exciting to partner with Canadian brands, especially ones that pay attention to nature, health, and wellness. The CEBL and GURU Energy are aligned in this thinking and we look forward to tipping off this partnership in front of our fans in Ottawa for Championship Weekend,” said Mike Morreale, Commissioner of the CEBL.

GURU CEO Carl Goyette will also be a panellist at the CEBL Commissioner’s Breakfast on August 12, at 8:00 AM ET, participating in a panel discussion on the sport of basketball in Canada.

About the CEBL
A league created by Canadians for Canadians, the CEBL is Canada's pre-eminent professional basketball league. The league has the highest percentage of Canadian players of any professional league in the country, with 75 percent of its rosters being Canadian. Players bring experience from the NBA, NBA G League, top international leagues, the Canadian National team program, and top NCAA programs as well as U SPORTS. The only First Division Professional League Partner of Canada Basketball, the CEBL season runs from May through August.

We are a nation of passionate sports fans. It makes us proud, and ultimately it defines who we are. We are bringing together international pro basketball players with Canadian elite players to form a new league. This is #OurGame.

About GURU Products
All GURU energy drinks are plant-based, high in natural caffeine, free of artificial sweeteners, artificial colours and flavours, and have no preservatives. In addition, all drinks are organic, vegan and gluten free – and the best thing is their amazing taste.

About GURU
GURU Organic Energy Corp. (TSX: GURU) is a dynamic, fast-growing beverage company launched in 1999, when it pioneered the world’s first natural, plant-based energy drink. The Company markets organic energy drinks in Canada and the United States through an estimated distribution network of over 25,000 points of sale, and through guruenergy.com and Amazon. GURU has built an inspiring brand with a clean list of organic plant-based ingredients. Its drinks offer consumers good energy that never comes at the expense of their health. The Company is committed to achieving its mission of cleaning the energy drink industry in Canada and the United States. For more information, go to www.guruenergy.com or follow us @guruenergydrink on Instagram and @guruenergy on Facebook.

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Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, information with respect to our objectives and the strategies for achieving those objectives, as well as information with respect to our beliefs, plans, expectations, anticipations, estimates and intentions. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by the use of words such as “may”, “would”, “should”, “could”, “expect”, “intend”, “estimate”, “anticipate”, “plan”, “foresee”, “believe”, or “continue”, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purposes of assisting the reader in understanding the Company and its business, operations, prospects, and risks at a point in time in the context of historical and possible future developments, and the reader is therefore cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those that are disclosed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Those risks and uncertainties include the following, which are discussed in greater detail under “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Information Form for the year ended October 31, 2021, available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com: management of growth; reliance on key personnel; changes in consumer preferences; significant changes in government regulation; criticism of energy drink products and/or the energy drink market; economic downturn and continued uncertainty in the financial markets and other adverse changes in general economic or political conditions, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic or other major macroeconomic phenomena; global or regional catastrophic events; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; net revenues derived entirely from energy drinks; increased competition; relationships with co-packers and distributors and/or their ability to manufacture and/or distribute GURU’s products; relationships with existing customers; changing retail landscape; increases in costs and/or shortages of raw materials and/or ingredients and/or fuel and/or costs of co-packing; failure to accurately estimate demand for its products; history of negative cash flow and no assurance of continued profitability or positive EBITDA; intellectual property rights; maintenance of brand image or product quality; retention of the full-time services of senior management; climate change; litigation; information technology systems; fluctuation of quarterly operating results; risks associated with the PepsiCo distribution agreement; no assurance of continued profitability or positive EBITDA; and conflicts of interest. Certain assumptions were made in preparing the forward-looking statements concerning availability of capital resources, business performance, market conditions and consumer demand. Consequently, all of the forward-looking statements contained herein are qualified by the foregoing cautionary statements, and there can be no guarantee that the results or developments that we anticipate will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences or effects on our business, financial condition, or results of operation. Unless otherwise noted or the context otherwise indicates, the forward-looking statements contained herein are provided as of the date hereof, and we do not undertake to update or amend such forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable law.

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