“Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with what there is.”

This quote from Ernest Hemingway’s classic book, The Old Man and the Sea, embodies a spirit of resilience that should inspire Canadian seafood producers. , Stuart Bergman, EDC’s vice-president and chief economist, reveals opportunities to grow seafood exports, despite the challenges posed by tariffs and trade uncertainty from the U.S. and China.

Bergman shares findings from custom research conducted by EDC's Economics team to investigate trade diversification options for this crucial Canadian export industry. Key insights include:

• Four seafood product categories where Canada holds a comparative advantage over its peers, presenting significant potential for trade diversification
• Insights from data analysis and qualitative interviews with industry experts, which incorporate valuable market insights difficult to capture through data alone
• Three European markets with potential for export growth in live, fresh, chilled lobster—along with three additional countries, showing demand potential for frozen lobster
• Three Indo-Pacific markets with export potential for frozen (snow) crab and processed lobster
• The Middle East market, where sales for prepared/preserved lobster are surging (up almost 70% since 2021)

Bergman also highlights:

• The range of EDC solutions that can help seafood producers with their cash flow needs to explore these new markets;
• How identifies vetted air and ocean freight forwarders for shipping perishables; and
• How our program can help Canadian seafood exporters with resources to establish a global presence.

At one point in Hemingway’s novella, Santiago, the protagonist, mutters, “Luck is a thing that comes in many forms and who can recognize her?” by turning current market challenges into export growth opportunities—by knowing where to fish.

For more on seafood export opportunities, consult this EDC report, .

MONTRÉAL, June 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GURU Organic Energy Corp. (TSX: GURU) (“GURU” or the “Company”), Canada’s leading organic energy drink brand¹, today announced its results for the second quarter and six-month period ended April 30, 2025. All amounts are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise indicated.

Quote from Carl Goyette, President and CEO
“In Q2, we demonstrated that our business fundamentals are strong and are improving, notably in our key US online and premium retail growth channels. We delivered meaningful margin expansion, cut our EBITDA loss in half, and observed sustained consumer enthusiasm for our Zero line in both Canada and the US.

“In fact, Wild Ice Pop not only outpaced GURU Original in its first weeks but also became the top-performing GURU product in Quebec's leading convenience store chain—proof that our clean energy innovation is winning with consumers.

“While Q2 reflected temporary significant headwinds prior to exiting our exclusive Canadian distributor agreement, this transition has already begun to unlock greater brand control, improved execution quality and opportunities for long-term growth.

“We’ve secured distribution with every major Canadian retailer and are hitting the ground running with our new partners, expanding our reach into traditional food retailers but also sports, outdoors and natural food store channels.

“With a simplified model, energized partners, and a clear strategic focus, we’re entering the second half of the year with momentum — and full confidence in our ability to drive sustainable growth and fulfill our mission to clean up the energy drink industry.”

Resilient Performance in a Strategic Transition Quarter
GURU reported Q2 2025 net revenue of $6.5 million, compared to $8.0 million in Q2 2024. Year-over-year growth momentum was largely negated by: the $1.4 million in US wholesale club rotations last year that were not repeated this year, and temporary significant order and shipments shortfalls in Canada in Q2 leading up to the end date of GURU’s agreement with its former exclusive Canadian distributor. The shortfalls resulted in short-term disruption to product availability at certain retailers and are not expected to continue or recur in future quarters.

Excluding the wholesale club rotations, US sales grew 38.9% on a constant currency basis, supported by velocity gains, innovation, and growing traction across online and premium retail channels.

Canadian Innovation Leads to Direct Model Relaunch
Despite temporary significant shipments dip, consumer response in Canada remained strong. The Q2 debut of GURU Zero Wild Berry, Wild Ruby Red, and Wild Ice Pop was met with high demand— Wild Ice Pop, in particular, outpaced legacy products in the early launch weeks at a major C&G banner. In addition, Q3 2025 will see the launch of Zero Wild Strawberry Watermelon in Quebec retailers and online in Canada.

On May 22, GURU transitioned to a direct distribution model in Canada, regaining control over retail execution and strategic investments. New retail agreements are in place across all major banners, and field activation is already underway through best-in-class sales and marketing partners.

US Growth Momentum Across Channels
In Q2, GURU continued to build momentum in the US (+38.9% excluding prior year wholesale club rotations), the largest energy drink market in the world and a key growth driver for the Company.

On Amazon US, March marked an all-time monthly sales high, supported by a successful spring sales campaign. More importantly, the repeat purchase rate increased to record levels, reinforcing the brand’s consumer stickiness and growing loyalty in the competitive e-commerce space.

In retail, combined sales in the natural food channel and at Whole Foods grew at an average of 26% year-over-year³, with Whole Foods posting two record months. Innovation continued to gain traction, with GURU Zero Wild Berry outperforming last year’s Tropical Punch launch to become one of the brand’s most successful new product launches in the US to date.

This increased velocity, combined with improving repeat behavior and innovation strength, positions GURU for continued profitable expansion in the US.

Path to Profitability
GURU continued to execute on its financial discipline strategy in Q2 2025, achieving:

• Second lowest quarterly net loss since Q2 2021 - a 46.5% year-over-year reduction in net loss
• Adjusted EBITDA loss narrowed by 55.0%, the strongest quarterly improvement since Q2 2021
• Highest ever reported gross margin by the Company since the start of the exclusive distribution in Canada

These improvements reflect the positive impact of pricing discipline, streamlined marketing investments, and efficient execution during the Canadian distribution transition.

Fiscal 2025 Outlook
In the second half of the year, GURU will focus on driving profitable growth by:

• Scaling its Zero line across premium retail, natural, and online channels
• Seamlessly executing its new direct distribution model in Canada
• Maintaining pricing discipline and tight cost control to build on recent margin gains

As part of this momentum, the Company has secured two variety pack rotations in wholesale clubs for Q4 2025 in Canada and the US, reinforcing Zero’s growing commercial appeal.

Results of Operations
Q2 Summary
GURU delivered another quarter of margin expansion and disciplined expense management:

• Gross margin rose to 59.7% in Q2, compared to 55.8% in Q2 2024
• SG&A expenses declined 26.2% year-over-year, driven by lower marketing and promotional spend
• Net loss decreased to $1.4 million, from $2.7 million in Q2 2024
• Adjusted EBITDA loss improved by 55.0% to $1.2 million

Year-to-Date Summary
For the six-month period ended April 30, 2025:

• Net revenue totaled $14.2 million, compared to $15.1 million in 2024. Excluding the US wholesale club rotation impact, net revenue rose 3.2%
• Gross profit increased 2.6% to $8.5 million
• Gross margin expanded to 59.6% from 54.4%
• Net loss improved 40.1% to $2.7 million
• Adjusted EBITDA loss narrowed by 51.3% to $2.3 million

Join the Nelson-Jameson team as we celebrate the grand opening of our newest distribution center in Fairview, Pennsylvania. You're invited to attend our ribbon-cutting ceremony, take a facility tour, participate in an interactive art experience, and enjoy a food safety talk from an industry expert. We're excited to mark this milestone and share our expanded capabilities with you.

September 10, 2025

10:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Nelson-Jameson Distribution Center

RSVP FOR THE GRAND OPENING

Engineering better food safety
by Steve Burgess, General Manager – Europe & Africa

June 7 marks World Food Safety Day, a moment of reflection and responsibility for every organisation involved in putting food on tables across the globe. This year’s theme, “Food safety: science in action,” offers a timely reminder that safety isn’t a matter of final checks or regulatory box-ticking. It is a continuous, science-led process. And for manufacturers, it begins long before any product reaches the end of the line.

Variability is the most persistent threat in food production. Across high-speed, high-volume lines, even minor deviations — in cooking temperature, dwell time, seasoning load or packaging sealing pressure — can have serious implications for safety and quality. For example, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted in early 2025 due to the discovery of "foreign objects" such as metal, rubber, and plastic in various food products, including chicken nuggets, frozen meals, sausages, and shredded cheese. These contaminants often stem from faulty manufacturing equipment or human error, with staffing shortages and inadequate maintenance cited as potential contributors.

Scientific precision is what allows manufacturers to deliver much-needed consistency at scale that helps ensure foods are reliably safe, and it all begins with control. Automated systems are now capable of monitoring key parameters in real time, adjusting variables mid-process to ensure uniformity from batch to batch.

Gravimetric seasoning and oil spraying solutions, for example, allow for exact application levels aligned with nutritional targets — crucial for regulatory compliance, particularly in regions managing HFSS (high fat, salt, sugar) restrictions. Digital tools built into frying systems maintain optimal temperatures, reducing acrylamide formation in consumer-loved snacks while preserving product integrity. 

Where human oversight alone once carried the weight of food safety, today’s systems use technology to reduce that burden. Automated rejection mechanisms isolate contaminated or non-compliant products without disrupting production. Modern metal detection systems operate at sub-millimetre sensitivity, working continuously and invisibly. Each intervention is informed by data, not guesswork. This is science in action.

However, as the early 2025 recalls demonstrate, these systems are not fool proof. Not all systems are built equal, so it is essential that food processing companies are working with reputable OEMs with a demonstrable track record of safe performance. In an ideal world, a complete line solution partner would have full accountability, with clear visibility into production goals and the responsibility to ensure they are met — while also balancing food safety and regulatory requirements.

Safety through maintenance
Food safety is, of course, not something that is considered only at the equipment selection stage. It is also built into the physical architecture of the production line. Equipment designed with cleanability and modularity in mind helps ensure hygiene standards are met and maintained consistently. 

Smooth and sloped surfaces, tool-less access, and hygienic welds minimise the potential for microbial build-up or allergen cross-contact. This becomes especially important in facilities running multiple SKUs or serving allergy-sensitive markets, where the ability to execute efficient, verifiable changeovers is a critical determinant of safety.

The principles outlined by groups such as the European Hygienic Engineering & Design Group (EHEDG) and implemented by manufacturing partners across the industry make clear that hygienic design is not a bolt-on consideration — it’s a fundamental element of food-safe engineering. Paired with effective site practices, these design decisions contribute to a safety culture grounded in reliability, not reaction.

The science of food safety is something that is baked into food production lines from the outset. As the demands on food systems intensify, that science becomes all-the-more important. World Food Safety Day is a chance to acknowledge the often-unseen decisions, designs, and data that protect every product. The future of safe food doesn’t rest on luck or vigilance alone. It rests on systems built to perform in harmony with all the elements of the complete line and exactly as intended.