Verano Holdings Corp. announced the opening of Zen Leaf Norwich, the Company's first social equity joint venture location in Connecticut and third cannabis dispensary statewide, on July 14 at 9 a.m. local time. Zen Leaf Norwich, located at 606 W Main Street, is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. In opening Zen Leaf Norwich, Verano received support for the Company's approved social equity plan by several local organizations, including Connecticut Foodshare, Global City Norwich, the Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce, the Norwich Branch of the NAACP, the Norwich Community Development Corporation, and the City of Norwich.

Verano's expanding vertical operations in Connecticut encompass CTPharma, a state-of-the-art, 217,000 square foot cultivation and processing facility in Rocky Hill that produces a variety of Connecticut's most popular cannabis products, and Zen Leaf dispensaries in Meriden (hybrid), Norwich (hybrid) and Waterbury (presently medical-only). Including Zen Leaf Norwich, the Company plans to open a total of six social equity joint venture dispensaries across Connecticut with its social equity partners in the months ahead, subject to obtaining all customary approvals, which would raise Verano's total retail footprint to eight stores statewide.