NEW YORK and WINNIPEG, Manitoba, Feb. 07, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Manitoba Harvest, the global leader in hemp foods and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tilray Brands, Inc. (“Tilray” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: TLRY and TSX: TLRY), is partnering with Bioactives company Brightseed to revolutionize the functional fiber market with a breakthrough product: Manitoba Harvest Bioactive Fiber. This multi-benefit fiber solution, powered by Brightseed® Bio Gut Fiber, is now exclusively available at Whole Foods Market stores nationwide.

Furthering Manitoba Harvest’s 25-year commitment to transform consumer health through the power of hemp, NEW Bioactive Fiber helps close the fiber gap for consumers. Manitoba Harvest Bioactive Fiber leverages Brightseed’s novel ingredient made from upcycled hemp hulls, the outer shells of hemp seeds. AI-led research identified hemp hulls as an untapped source of dietary fiber and gut-health beneficial bioactives.

Jared Simon, President of Manitoba Harvest and Tilray Wellness, expressed excitement about the launch, stating, "With the debut of Manitoba Harvest Bioactive Fiber, we're not just introducing a product; we're rediscovering the nutritional capacity of hemp after nearly 70 years in the dark. Bioactives are gaining huge strides in nutrition science but are largely undiscovered and remain underutilized in health foods. At Manitoba Harvest, we're on a mission to harness the wellness potential of hemp with simple health solutions that contribute to a sustainable future."

Lighten up with Bioactive Fiber
Science has established that dietary fiber is essential for supporting gut health including digestion, bowel regularity and weight management, but today, 95% of Americans do not consume the recommended daily intake of fiber. Manitoba Harvest Bioactive Fiber provides 6g of both soluble and insoluble fiber per serving and is the only fiber solution containing two powerful hemp-based bioactives for gut health.


        
Fiber Benefits:

• Promotes a healthy gut
• Supports healthy digestion and bowel regularity
• Helps to reduce bloating and gas
• Supports weight management

The key ingredient is Brightseed Bio Gut Fiber, an organic hemp fiber that’s rich in naturally-occuring bioactives found in hemp hull. Brightseed proprietary AI platform, Forager®, discovered two bioactives NCT (N-trans-Caffeoyltyramine) and NFT (N-trans-Feruloyltyramine) were strongly present in hemp hull. NCT and NFT are phenolic compounds that research has shown may strengthen the gut lining to help maintain healthy gut barrier function.¹ The gut barrier acts like a protective shield in the digestive system, allowing essential nutrients to be absorbed while keeping out harmful substances and pathogens.

“Manitoba Harvest is a visionary leader bringing hemp to consumers worldwide. We are thrilled to be working with such an impassioned partner to bring forward new discoveries on hemp’s health value out of the lab and onto consumer shelves,” said Sofia Elizondo, co-founder and chief operating officer, Brightseed. “Bioactives are the unsung heroes of proactive health and today, the majority of people don’t consume enough to capture the full impact of their benefits. Now that our AI Forager is powering the discovery and understanding of bioactives at an unprecedented rate, our mission at Brightseed is to transform those insights into accessible and powerful wellness products across the globe.”

Reinforcing Manitoba Harvest quality standards, the product is certified Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified, Kosher, and Vegan. To enjoy the benefits of Manitoba Harvest Original Bioactive Fiber, simply mix 1 heaping tablespoon (10g) with 6 ounces of water, stir, and drink quickly. The product comes in an 8oz package with a suggested retail price (SRP) of $19.99.

About Manitoba Harvest
Manitoba Harvest is a pioneer and leader in branded hemp-based foods, and is recognized as a Certified B Corporation and the first Canadian food company to attain a Carbonzero Certification.

Taking the seed-to-shelf approach since 1998, Manitoba Harvest is committed to quality, sustainability, and consumer wellness. With an extensive product portfolio of Hemp Hearts (shelled hemp seed), Hemp Protein, Hemp Protein Blends, Hemp Wellness Bars, Hemp Granola, and Hemp Oil, Manitoba Harvest products are sold globally and in approximately 17,000 retail stores across North America.

To learn more about Manitoba Harvest and shop, visit www.manitobaharvest.com and follow @manitobaharvest across all social platforms.

About Tilray Brands
Tilray Brands, Inc. (Nasdaq: TLRY; TSX: TLRY), is a leading global cannabis lifestyle and consumer packaged goods company with operations in Canada, the United States, Europe, Australia, and Latin America that is changing people's lives for the better – one person at a time – by inspiring and empowering a worldwide community to live their very best life, enhanced by moments of connection and wellbeing. Tilray’s mission is to be the most responsible, trusted, and market-leading cannabis and consumer products company in the world with a portfolio of innovative, high-quality, and beloved brands that address the needs of the consumers, customers, and patients we serve. A pioneer in cannabis research, cultivation, and distribution, Tilray’s unprecedented production platform supports over 20 brands in over 20 countries, including comprehensive cannabis offerings, hemp-based foods, and craft beverages.

For more information on how we open a world of well-being, visit www.Tilray.com and follow @tilray on all social platforms.

About Brightseed
Brightseed is a pioneer in biosciences and artificial intelligence that illuminates nature to restore human health. Brightseed’s Forager® AI platform accelerates bioactive discovery, biological validation and ingredient formulation from years to months, rapidly revealing new connections between nature and humanity. Brightseed produces clinically proven bioactives for dietary supplements, food & beverage CPG, specialty nutrition and medical foods to power proactive health worldwide. Learn more at brightseedbio.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this communication that are not historical facts constitute forward-looking information or forward-looking statements (together, “forward-looking statements”) under Canadian and U.S. securities laws and within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that are intended to be subject to the “safe harbor” created by those sections and other applicable laws. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as “forecast,” “future,” “should,” “could,” “enable,” “potential,” “contemplate,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “plan,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “project,” “will,” “would” and the negative of these terms or similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Certain material factors, estimates, goals, projections, or assumptions were used in drawing the conclusions contained in the forward-looking statements throughout this communication. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding our intentions, beliefs, projections, outlook, analyses, or current expectations.  Many factors could cause actual results, performance, or achievement to be materially different from any forward-looking statements, and other risks and uncertainties not presently known to the Company or that the Company deems immaterial could also cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements contained herein. For a more detailed discussion of these risks and other factors, see the most recently filed annual information form of Tilray and the Annual Report on Form 10-K (and other periodic reports filed with the SEC) of Tilray made with the SEC and available on EDGAR. The forward-looking statements included in this communication are made as of the date of this communication and the Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect new information, subsequent events, or otherwise unless required by applicable securities laws.

For further information:

Manitoba Harvest Media: tilraywellness@diffusionpr.com, +1 (646) 571-0120

Brightseed: Serene Buckley – press@brightseedbio.com

Tilray Brands Media: Berrin Noorata, news@tilray.com

Investors: Raphael Gross, (203) 682-8253, Raphael.Gross@icrinc.com

¹Pre-clinical data demonstrates supporting strength of the gut lining (gut integrity) to help maintain gut barrier function and gut health; Lee et al. 2022.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/01d313cb-8b67-4e13-ab0d-616f1655ddf5