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Risk Factors - SHMP
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Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements. Except as required by applicable law, including the securities laws of the United States, we do not intend to update any of the forward-looking statements to conform these statements to actual results.
Our financial statements are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. These accounting principles require us to make certain estimates, judgments, and assumptions. We believe that the estimates, judgments, and assumptions upon which we rely are reasonable based upon information available to us at the time that these estimates, judgments, and assumptions are made. These estimates, judgments, and assumptions can affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements as well as the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the periods presented. Our financial statements would be affected to the extent there are material differences between these estimates and actual results. The following discussion should be read in conjunction with our financial statements and notes thereto appearing elsewhere in this report.
These statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our or our industry’s actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those factors described in “Item 1A. Risk Factors,” those discussed and identified in our public filings made with the SEC and the following:
Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, or performance. Moreover, neither we nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of these forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements after the date of this report to conform these statements to actual results.
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PART I
ITEM 1. BUSINESS
As used in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and unless otherwise indicated, the terms “NaturalShrimp,” “Company,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to NaturalShrimp Incorporated and its wholly-owned subsidiaries: NaturalShrimp USA Corporation (“NSC”), NaturalShrimp Global, Inc. (“NS Global”) and Natural Aquatic Systems, Inc. (“NAS”). The Company owns 51% of NaturalShrimp/Hydrenesis LLC, a Texas limited liability company. Unless otherwise specified, all dollar amounts are expressed in United States Dollars.
Corporate History
The Company was incorporated in the State of Nevada on July 3, 2008 under the name “Multiplayer Online Dragon, Inc.” On January 30, 2015, we acquired substantially all of the assets of NaturalShrimp Holdings, Inc. (“NSH”), which had developed the proprietary technology to grow and sell shrimp potentially anywhere in the world that is now the basis of our business. Such assets consisted primarily of all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of its subsidiaries NaturalShrimp Corporation, now called NaturalShrimp USA Corporation (“NSC”), and NaturalShrimp Global (“NS Global”), and certain real property located outside of San Antonio, Texas, in exchange for our issuance of 75,520,240 shares of NaturalShrimp common stock to NSH. As a result of the transaction, NSH acquired 88.62% of the issued and outstanding shares of NaturalShrimp common stock, NSC and NS Global became our wholly-owned subsidiaries, and we changed our principal business to a global shrimp farming company. We changed our name to “NaturalShrimp Incorporated” in 2015.
Terminated Merger Agreement
On October 24, 2022, the Company, Yotta Acquisition Corporation, a special purpose acquisition company (“Yotta”), and Yotta Merger Sub, Inc., a Nevada corporation (“Merger Sub”) and wholly-owned subsidiary of Yotta, entered into a Merger Agreement (the “Merger Agreement”), pursuant to which Merger Sub would merge with and into the Company with the Company as the surviving corporation of the Business Combination and becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of Yotta (the “Business Combination”)., a Nevada corporation (“Merger Sub”) and wholly-owned subsidiary of Yotta, entered into a Merger Agreement (the “Merger Agreement”), pursuant to which Merger Sub will merge with and into the Company with the Company as the surviving corporation of the Business Combination and becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of Yotta (the “Business Combination”). In connection with the Business Combination, Yotta would change its name to “NaturalShrimp Incorporated” or such other name designated by the Company. In connection with the Business Combination, Yotta will change its name to “NaturalShrimp Incorporated” or such other name designated by the Company.
On July 20, 2023, the Company sent Yotta notice of the Company’s termination of the Merger Agreement pursuant to Section 10.2(b) thereof based on breaches by Yotta of certain representations in the Merger Agreement that would render impossible the satisfaction of certain conditions to the Company’s obligations to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement. In particular, that Yotta would not be able to comply with the provision of its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation that prohibits Yotta from consummating an initial business combination unless it has net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 upon consummation of such initial business combination. This conflicts with Yotta’s representation in the Merger Agreement that its consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement will not conflict with its organizational documents. The Company also cited delays in the Securities and Exchange Commission registration process that were attributable to Yotta, which breached its covenant pursuant to the Merger Agreement to use its reasonable best efforts to take all actions reasonably necessary or advisable to consummate the transactions contemplated by Merger Agreement as promptly as reasonably practicable.
As a result of the termination of the Merger Agreement, (i) the Sponsor Support Agreement, dated as of October 20, 2022, by and among Yotta, Yotta’s Sponsor Yotta Investments LLC (the “Sponsor”), and the Company, (ii) the Company Stockholder Support Agreements, dated as of October 20, 2022, by and among the Company, Yotta, and each of the Company’s three executive officers and directors, (iii) the Lock-Up Agreements, dated as of October 20, 2022, by and among Yotta, the Company, and each of the Company’s three executive officers and directors, and (iv) the Lock-Up Agreement, dated as of October 20, 2022, by and among the Sponsor, Yotta, and the Company, were each terminated in accordance with its terms.
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Business Overview
We are an aquaculture technology company that has developed proprietary, patented platform technologies to allow for the production of aquatic species in an ecologically-controlled, high-density, low-cost environment, and in fully contained and independent production facilities without the use of antibiotics or toxic chemicals. NaturalShrimp owns and operates indoor recirculating Pacific White shrimp production facilities in Texas and Iowa using these technologies.
On October 5, 2015, together with F&T Water Solutions, LLC (“F&T”), we formed NAS, with NaturalShrimp holding a majority interest. The purpose of NAS was for NaturalShrimp and F&T to jointly develop certain water technologies including, without limitation, the electrocoagulation equipment dealing with enclosed aquatic production systems worldwide.
On December 17, 2020, we acquired for $10,000,000 certain assets from VeroBlue Farms USA, Inc. (“VBF”) and its subsidiaries VBF Transport, Inc. and Iowa’s First, Inc., which included facilities located in Webster City, Iowa, Blairsburg, Iowa, and Radcliffe, Iowa. These facilities were designed for the growth of barramundi fish. We have converted 40% of the Webster City facility and 20% of the Blairsburg facility for producing shrimp using the Company’s propriety technology.
On May 25, 2021, the Company purchased from F&T its ownership interest in the water treatment technology that the Company and F&T had previously jointly developed and patented (the “Patent”) through NAS, which is used or useful in growing aquatic species in re-circulating and enclosed environments, as well as F&T’s 100% interest in a second patent associated with the Patent that was issued to F&T in March 2018 and all other intellectual property rights owned by F&T. In addition, the Company acquired all of the outstanding shares of common stock of NAS owned by F&T (the “Common Shares”), thereby making NAS a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. The purchase price for both the Patent and the Common Shares totaled $3,000,000 in cash and 13,861,386 shares of NaturalShrimp common stock valued at $7,000,000 for a total consideration of $10,000,000.
On August 25, 2021, the Company, through its now wholly-owned subsidiary NAS, entered into an Equipment Rights Agreement with Hydrenesis Delta Systems, LLC, and a Technology Rights Agreement with Hydrenesis Aquaculture, LLC, in a sub-license agreement with Hydrenesis Aquaculture LLC. The Equipment Rights Agreements relates to specialized and proprietary equipment used to produce and control, dose, and infuse Hydrogas® and RLS® into both water and other chemical species, while the Technology Rights Agreement provides us with a sublicense to the rights to Hydrogas® and RLS®. These technologies enhance the health of the aquatic species and minimize stress in high ammonia conditions. Each such agreement is for a 10-year term and automatically renew for successive 10-year terms unless terminated in accordance therewith. The agreements give NAS the exclusive rights to purchase or distribute the technology, or buy or rent the equipment, in the Industry Sector, which is the primary business and revenue stream generated from indoor aquaculture farming of any species in the Territory, defined as anywhere in the world except for the countries in the Gulf Corporation Council. The Company paid Hydrenesis Delta Systems, LLC the sum of $2,500,000 (staged over a period of time, with $1,250,000 still due), plus a 12.5% royalty for the Equipment Rights Agreement and for the Technology Rights Agreement. The Company paid Hydrenesis Aquaculture, LLC a total of $10,000,000, comprised of $2,500,000 at closing, $1,000,000 within 60 days and 6,500,000 shares of common stock of the Company. The Technology Rights Agreement also carried the same royalty provision.
Development of our Technology
General Background and Overview
Historically, efforts to raise shrimp in a high-density, closed system at the commercial level have been met with either modest success or outright failure through “BioFloc Technology.” An aquaculture system using “BioFloc Technology” recycles waste nutrients to culture microorganisms to form microbial protein from the toxic waste and other organic matter in the water. Infectious agents such as parasites, bacteria, and viruses potentially present in BioFloc systems are the most damaging and most difficult to control. While bacterial infection can in some cases be combated using antibiotics (although not always), the use of antibiotics is generally considered undesirable and counter to “green” cultivation practices. Viruses can be worse in that they are immune to antibiotics. Once introduced to a shrimp population, viruses can wipe out entire farms and shrimp populations, even with intense probiotic applications.
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Our primary solution against infectious agents is our “Vibrio Suppression Technology.” This technology utilizes electrocoagulation (a procedure that uses heat from an electric current to destroy abnormal tissue) to kill potential pathogens and harmful bacteria such aa vibrio. While bacteria and other pathogens can still survive using this technology, Vibrio Suppression Technology helps to significantly reduce and suppress harmful organisms that usually cause “BioFloc” and other enclosed technologies to fail. Based on several peer-reviewed studies as well as management’s experience with this technology, we believe that this system creates higher sustainable densities, consistent production, improved growth and survival rates, and improved food conversion without the use of antibiotics, probiotics, or unhealthy anti-microbial chemicals.
Our technology platforms combine electrocoagulation and Hydrogas. Our patented electrocoagulation system replaces the need for biofilters and instead applies non-biological, electrical processes and uses electronics to remove ammonia and to control the level of pathogens in an aquaculture system. These technologies generate water chemistry with antioxidant properties, as demonstrated by third-party studies and our own trial conducted on North Atlantic Salmon at the RASLab research facility in Norway in 2021. The findings showed an increase in the well-being of aquatic species, including enhanced growth rates.
Hydrogas technology is based on a reducing gas that is produced on demand and infused into an aquaculture water column. The gas lowers the Oxidation Reduction Potential (“ORP”) of water to a negative reading on an ORP meter. Negative ORP refers to the water’s ability to either gain or lose electrons, acting as a measure of its reduction or oxidation capacity. When water has a negative ORP, it is more prone to gaining electrons, indicating a higher reduction potential. The more negative the ORP value of the water column, the stronger the reduction capacity, effects of which have been shown to have benefit within the aquaculture industry. The use of negative ORP water in recirculating aquaculture systems can have several beneficial effects on the animals and their environment such as lowering of the oxidation stress on the animals leading to better food conversion rates.
We have conducted several internal tests over a period of two years with finfish and shrimp, where we observed decreased mortality rates in the test groups utilizing the Hydrogas system.
The use of electrocoagulation in Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) plays a pivotal role in achieving higher sustainable densities. This technology utilizes an electrical current to coagulate particulates, bacteria, and other pollutants, leading to their precipitation out of the water column. By removing these harmful elements, the water quality is significantly improved, which in turn can support higher densities of animals without compromising their health and well-being. Furthermore, by reducing the bacterial load in the water, such as harmful Vibrio species, the overall health and immunity of the aquaculture species can be boosted, resulting in lower disease incidences and higher sustainable densities.
Maintaining a negative ORP water column using Hydrogas not only aids in consistent production but also improves food conversion rates. A negative ORP signifies a reducing environment, which is beneficial for lowering the oxidative stress on the animals, leading to better food conversion rates. Moreover, the constant removal of harmful substances and bacteria from the water ensures a stable, high-quality environment for the cultured species, leading to consistent growth rates and production. Thus, through the combined benefits of improved water quality, enhanced health, and optimized nutrient utilization, electrocoagulation with a negative ORP water column serves as a valuable tool for sustainable and efficient aquaculture systems.
The principal theories behind the Company’s system are characterized as:
These principles form the foundation for the Company and our potential distributors so that consumers can be provided with continuous volumes of live and fresh shrimp at competitive prices.
Research and Development; Evolution of Our Technology
In 2001, we began research and development of a high density, natural aquaculture system that is not dependent on ocean water to provide quality, fresh shrimp every week, 52 weeks a year. Our initial system was successful, but we determined that it would not be economically feasible due to high operating costs. Over the next several years, using the knowledge we gained from developing the first system, we developed a shrimp production system that eliminated the high costs associated with the previous system. We have continued to refine this technology, eliminating bacteria and other problems that affect recirculating systems, and now have a successful shrimp-growing process. We have produced thousands of pounds of shrimp over the years in order to develop a design that will consistently produce quality shrimp that grow to a large size at a specific rate of growth. This included experimenting with various types of natural live and synthesized feed supplies before selecting the most appropriate nutritious and reliable combination. It also included utilizing monitoring and control automation equipment to minimize labor costs and to provide the necessary oversight for proper regulation of the shrimp environment.
Our system consists of a nursery tank where the shrimp are acclimated and then moved to a larger grow-out tank for the rest of the growth cycle. During 2016, we engaged in additional engineering projects with third parties to further enhance our indoor production capabilities. The Company, working with F&T, contracted with RGA Labs, Inc. to build and update a prototype of our patented electrocoagulation system for the grow-out and harvesting of fully mature, antibiotic-free Pacific White shrimp. The design provided a viable pathway to begin generating revenue and producing shrimp on a commercially-viable scale. During 2019 the Company decided to begin an approximately $2,000,000 facility renovation, demolishing the interior wood-lined tanks (720,000 gallons). The Company began replacing the previous tanks with 40 new fiberglass tanks (600,000 gallons) at a cost of approximately $400,000, allowing complete production flexibility with smaller tanks.
On March 18, 2020, our research and development plant in La Coste, Texas was destroyed by a fire. The Company believed that it was caused by a natural gas leak, but the fire was so extensive that the cause was never determined. No one was injured as a result of the fire. The majority of the damage was to our pilot production plant, which comprised approximately 35,000 square feet of the total size of the production facilities at the La Coste location, but the fire did not impact the separate greenhouse, reservoirs, or utility buildings. The Company used the proceeds from its subsequent insurance claim to rebuild a 40,000 square foot production building at the La Coste facility and to repurchase the equipment needed to replace what was lost in the fire. The Company further refined the electrocoagulation system for installation in the Texas and later in its Iowa shrimp production facilities. The Company began developing a live shrimp delivery system from the Iowa production facility in November 2021 and from the Texas production facility. In 2023, the Company changed the focus of the Texas facility into a research and development center. The Company increased production from the Iowa facility in 2024
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Overview of Industry
Shrimp is a well-known and globally-consumed commodity, constituting one of the most important types of seafood and a staple protein source for much of the world. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the 2021 global production of shrimp was 9.9 billion pounds with over 1.9 billion pounds of shrimp consumed in the United States alone. Approximately 65% of the global supply of shrimp is caught by ocean trawlers and the other 35% is produced by open-air shrimp farms, mostly in developing countries.
Shrimp boats catch shrimp through the use of large, boat-towed nets. These nets are quite toxic to the undersea environment as they disturb and destroy ocean-bottom ecosystems; these nets also catch a variety of non-shrimp sea life, which is typically killed and discarded as part of the shrimp harvesting process. Additionally, the world’s oceans can only supply a finite amount of shrimp each year, and in fact, single-boat shrimp yields have fallen by approximately 20% since 2010 and continue to decrease. The shrimping industry’s answer to this problem has been to deploy more (and larger) boats that deploy ever-larger nets, which has in the short-term been successful at maintaining global shrimp yields. This benefit, however, cannot continue forever, as eventually global demand has the potential of outstripping the oceans’ ability to maintain the natural ecosystem’s balance, resulting in a permanent decline in yields. When taken in light of global population growth and the ever-increasing demand for nutrient-rich foods such as shrimp, this method is clearly an unsustainable production paradigm.
Shrimp farming, known in the industry as “aquaculture,” has ostensibly stepped in to fill this demand/supply imbalance. Shrimp farming is typically done in open-air lagoons and man-made shrimp ponds connected to the open ocean. Because these ponds constantly exchange water with the adjacent sea, the farmers are able to maintain the water chemistry that allows the shrimp to prosper. This method of cultivating shrimp, however, also carries severe ecological peril. First of all, most shrimp farming is primarily conducted in developing countries, where poor shrimp farmers have little regard for the global ecosystem. As a result, these farmers use large quantities of antibiotics and other chemicals that maximize each farm’s chance of producing a crop, putting the entire system at risk. For example, a viral infection that crops up in one farm can spread to all nearby farms, quite literally wiping out an entire region’s production. In 1999, the White Spot virus invaded shrimp farms in at least five Latin American countries: Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Panama, and Ecuador, and in 2013-14 Early Mortality Syndrome wiped out most of the shrimp yields in the Asia Pacific region and Mexico. Secondly, there is also a finite amount of coastline that can be used for shrimp production — eventually shrimp farms that are dependent on the open ocean will have nowhere to expand. Again, this method is also an ecologically damaging and ultimately unsustainable system for producing shrimp.
In both the cases, the current method of shrimp production is unsustainable. As global populations rise and the demand for shrimp continues to grow, the current system is bound to fall short. Shrimp trawling cannot continue to increase production without completely depleting the oceans’ natural shrimp population. Trends in per-boat yield confirm that this industry has already crossed the overfishing threshold, putting the global open-ocean shrimp population in decline. While open-air shrimp aquaculture may seem to address this problem, it is also an unsustainable system that destroys coastal ecological systems and produces shrimp with very high chemical contamination levels. Closed-system shrimp farming is clearly a superior alternative, but its unique challenges have prevented it from becoming a widely-available alternative.
Of the 1.9 billion pounds of shrimp consumed annually in the United States, over 1.5 billion pounds are imported — much of this from developing countries’ shrimp farms. These farms are typically located in developing countries and use high levels of antibiotics and pesticides that are not allowed under USDA regulations. As a result, these shrimp farms produce chemical-laden shrimp in an ecologically unsustainable way.
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Unfortunately, most consumers in the United States are not aware of the origin of their store-bought shrimp or the shrimp that they consume in restaurants. This lack of knowledge is due to a USDA rule that states that only bulk-packaged shrimp must state the shrimp’s country of origin; any “prepared” shrimp, which includes arrangements sold in grocery stores and seafood markets, as well as all shrimp served in restaurants, can simply be sold “as is.” Essentially, the foregoing means that most U.S. consumers may be eating shrimp laden with chemicals and antibiotics. Our product is free of pesticide chemicals and antibiotics, a fact that we believe will be highly attractive and beneficial in terms of our eventual marketing success.
Target Markets
We are establishing three target markets. The first market is live shrimp delivered to grocery stores and placed in aquariums, the second is fresh-on-ice shrimp delivered through distribution channels to groceries and restaurants, and the third is fresh-on-ice shrimp ordered via an eCommerce website delivered directly to the consumer. Our goal is to establish production systems and distribution centers in regional areas of the United States as well as international distribution networks through joint venture partnerships throughout the world. This should allow the Company to capture a significant portion of world shrimp sales by offering locally-grown, environmentally-friendly, fresh shrimp at competitive wholesale prices.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the United States consumed over 1.9 billion pounds of shrimp in 2021, second only to China in total consumption, with over 90% imported. According to Research and Markets, the worldwide shrimp market was $18.3 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach $23.4 billion by 2026. According to SeafoodSource, in 2021 the United States Food and Drug Administration (the “FDA”) refused 75 entry lines of antibiotic-contaminated shrimp, over twice as many entry lines as was refused in 2020.
We strive to build a profitable global shrimp production company. We believe that our foundational advantage is that we can deliver fresh, organically grown, gourmet-grade shrimp, 52 weeks a year to retail and wholesale buyers in major market areas at competitive, yet premium, prices. By locating regional production and distribution centers in close proximity to consumer demand, we can provide a fresh product to customers within 24 hours after harvest. We believe that we can be the first to market and perhaps the sole weekly provider of fresh shrimp. Based on existing demand and what we believe are the advantages of our process, we believe that we can capture as much market share as our production capacity can support. The existing market demand, however, also might encourage new competitors to enter the market, including competitors that might develop processes that directly compete with NaturalShrimp, which could result in our not being able to capture the market share we anticipate.
Our patented technology and eco-friendly, bio-secure production processes enable the delivery of a chemical and antibiotic-free, locally-grown product that lives up to the Company’s mantra: “Always Fresh, Always Natural,” thereby addressing the issue of “unsafe” imported seafood.
Our Products
Product Description
Most of the shrimp consumed in the world today come from shrimp farms that can only produce crops between one and four times per year. Consequently, the shrimp from these farms requires freezing between crops until consumed. Our system is designed to harvest different tanks each week, which provides for fresh shrimp throughout the year. We strive to create a niche market of “Always Fresh, Always Natural” shrimp. As opposed to many of the foreign shrimp farms, we can also claim that our product is 100% free of antibiotics. The ability to grow shrimp locally and year-round allows us to provide this high-end product to upscale restaurant and grocery stores throughout the world. The Company is currently selling live shrimp to grocery stores outlets in Chicago and to stores and restaurants in Texas. We rotate the stocking and harvesting of our tanks each week, which allows for weekly shrimp harvests. Our product is free of pollutants and is fed only the highest-quality feeds.
Shrimp Growth Period
Our production system produces shrimp at a harvest size of 15 grams in 10 weeks for the live market and 23 grams in 13 weeks for the fresh-on-ice market. We currently purchase post-larva shrimp that are approximately 10 days old. We plan to convert the Blairsburg, Iowa facility into a hatchery for an estimated $500,000 after receipt of funds to control the supply of shrimp to each of our facilities. Our full-scale production systems include nursery and grow-out tanks, projected to produce fresh shrimp 52 weeks per year.
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Distribution and Marketing
We plan to build environmentally friendly production systems near major metropolitan areas of the United States. Today, we have one, 40,000 square foot production facility in La Coste, Texas (near San Antonio) and three production facilities totaling 344,000 square feet in Iowa. On January 4, 2021, the Company formed a limited liability company with Hydresnesis Aquaculture, LLC in order to negotiate with local government for the construction of a production facility under available grant programs in Florida.
Because our system is enclosed and also indoors, it is not affected by weather or climate and does not depend on ocean proximity. As such, we believe that we will be able to provide, naturally grown, high-quality, fresh-never frozen shrimp to customers in major markets each week. We believe that these characteristics will allow distribution companies that we partner with to leverage their existing customer relationships by offering an uninterrupted supply of high-quality, fresh, and locally-grown shrimp. We plan to sell and distribute the vast majority of our shrimp production through distributors, such as U.S. Foods in Texas markets, that have established customers and sufficient capacity to deliver a fresh product within hours following harvest. We believe that we have the added advantage of being able to market our shrimp as a fresh, natural, and locally-grown product using sustainable, eco-friendly technology, a key differentiation from existing shrimp producers. Furthermore, we believe that our ability to advertise our product in this manner, along with the fact that it is a locally-grown product, provides us with a marketing advantage over the competition. We expect to utilize distributors that currently supply fresh seafood to upscale restaurants and supermarkets, country clubs, and retail stores whose clientele expect and appreciate fresh, natural products.
Harvesting, Packaging and Shipment
We expect that each of our locations will include production, harvesting/processing and a general shipping and receiving area, in addition to warehousing space for storage of necessary supplies and products required to grow, harvest, package, and otherwise make ready for delivery, a fresh shrimp crop on a weekly basis to consumers in each individual market area within 24 hours following harvest.
The seafood industry lacks a consistent source verification method to track seafood products as they move through countries and customs procedures. With worldwide overfishing leading to declining shrimp freshness and sustainability around the world, it is vital for shrimp providers to be able to realistically identify the source of their product. We have well-managed, sustainable facilities that are able to track shrimp from hatchery to plate using environmentally responsible methods and intend to incorporate these methods in all our future facilities.
International
We own 100% of NS Global, which was formed to create international partnerships and licensing for our platform technologies. Each international partnership is expected to use the Company’s proprietary technology to penetrate shrimp markets throughout the world utilizing existing food service distribution channels.
Go to Market Strategy and Execution
Our strategy is to acquire or develop regional production and distribution centers or joint ventures near major metropolitan areas throughout the United States and internationally. Along with our La Coste facility that includes a 40,000 square foot production facility using a new water treatment process. We have also purchased a 344,000 square foot production facilities and production assets from VBF. Our current plans include a NaturalShrimp Iowa expansion, a La Coste, Texas expansion, and Hydrenesis joint ventures while developing regional production and distribution centers near major markets, adding production centers in Florida, Nevada, and New York.
We have sold live product to grocery stores at $10.50 per pound and we have an exclusive agreement with U.S. Foods to distribute fresh-on-ice shrimp weekly to retail consumers at $10.50 to $14.00 per pound depending on size, which helps to validate our pricing strategy. Additionally, we have developed an eCommerce website for on-line ordering and home delivery by the name of NaturalShrimp Harvest-Select to provide fresh-chilled shrimp directly to consumers. Additionally, we are developing an eCommerce website for on-line ordering and home delivery by the name of NaturalShrimp Harvest-Select to provide fresh-chilled directly to consumers at $22.00 per pound.
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Current Systems and Expansion
The shrimp production facility rebuilt in La Coste, Texas is now using new patent-pending technologies the Company developed with F&T and Hydrenesis. We expect this facility to produce approximately 5,000 pounds of shrimp every week starting in January 2025 requiring an estimated $500,000 to complete the retrofit. We expect this facility to produce approximately 6,000 pounds of shrimp every week. By staging the stocking and harvests from tank to tank, it enables us to produce and therefore deliver fresh shrimp every week.
With the purchase of our Iowa facilities from VBF, the Company is using the aforementioned platform technologies to retrofit 344,000 square feet of the existing Iowa facilities that we expect will, once fully operational, produce 15,000 pounds of shrimp per week starting in September 2025 requiring an estimated $6M to complete the expansion. Therefore, the combined output from our La Coste, Texas and Webster City, Iowa facilities will be approximately 20,000 pounds of shrimp production per week starting in September 2025 requiring a combined estimated total of $6.5M to complete the retrofit and expansion in both facilities
The regional production facilities to be located in Florida, Nevada, and New York are expected to begin construction from future funding. These production centers are not surrounded by commercial shrimp production, and we believe that will create a high demand for fresh shrimp in all of these locations. [In addition, the Company will continue to use undeveloped land it owns in La Coste (37 acres) and Iowa (52 acres) to build as many systems as the Texas and our Midwest markets demand.
Competition
There are a number of companies conducting research and development projects in their attempt to develop closed-system technologies in the U.S., some with reported production and sales. Most North American shrimp farms are using a BioFloc System to intensify shrimp growth. Since these are privately-held companies, it is not possible to know, with certainty, their state of technological development, production capacity, need for water exchange, location requirements, financial status, and other matters. To the best of our knowledge, none are producing significant quantities of shrimp relative to their local markets, and such fresh shrimp sales are likely confined to an area near their production facility.
Additionally, any new competitor would face significant barriers for entry into the market and would likely need years of research and development to develop the proprietary technology necessary to produce similar shrimp at a commercially viable level. We believe that our technology and business model set us apart from any current competition. It is possible that additional competitors will arise in the future, but with the size and growth of the worldwide shrimp market, we are confident that many competitors could co-exist and thrive in the fresh shrimp industry.
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Intellectual Property
The following table provides information regarding our issued patents:
| * | Utility patents are granted to anyone who invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, article of manufacture, or compositions of matters, or any new useful improvement thereof. |
| Patent Document Number (Applied) | Description | Jurisdiction | Date Filed | |||
| Application No 17/895,906 | Method and Apparatus for removing specific contaminants from water in a recirculating or linear treatment system | United States | 8/25/2022 |
| Trademarks | Jurisdiction | Live | First Used in Commerce | Date Filed | Published for Opposition | Registration Date | Word Mark | Currently In Active Use | Must Be In Continued Use | Will Be Maintained Until a Third Party Challenge | ||||||||||
| 6,122,073 | United States | Yes | 12/31/2004 | 7/2/2019 | 5/26/2020 | 8/11/2022 | NATURALSHRIMP | Yes | Yes | Yes |
We intend to take appropriate steps to protect our intellectual property.
There are potential additional technical processes for which the Company may be able to file a patent. There are no assurances, however, that such applications, if filed, would be issued and no right of enforcement is granted to a patent application. Therefore, the Company plans to use a variety of other methods, including copyright registrations as appropriate, trade secret protection, and confidentiality and non-compete agreements to protect its intellectual property portfolio.
Source and Availability of Raw Materials
We receive necessary raw materials from established suppliers, generally in a timely manner. Currently, we buy our feed from Zeigler, a leading producer of aquatic feed. Post larvae shrimp are available from Sea Products Development in Texas and Homegrown Shrimp in Florida.
Notwithstanding our current relationship with our suppliers of Post Larvae (PLs) shrimp, we have previously experienced temporary shortages and delays as a result issues arising at their hatcheries. We have favorable contacts and past business dealings with other major shrimp feed producers from which we can purchase required raw materials if our current suppliers are not available. In addition, we have also experienced supply-chain problems that have restricted our access to needed equipment parts and supplies. However, we have been able to mitigate these issues by modifying off-the-shelf readily available parts and equipment to work within our system.
Government Approvals and Regulations
We are subject to government regulation and require certain licenses. The following list includes regulations to which we are subject and/or the permits and licenses we currently hold:
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We are subject to certain regulations regarding the need for field employees to be certified. We strictly adhere to these regulations. The cost of certification is an accepted part of expenses. Regulations may change and become a cost burden, but compliance and safety are our main concern.
Market Advantages and Corporate Drivers
We consider the following to be our advantages in the marketplace:
Although we have the patented technology and concomitant trade secrets necessary to grow shrimp in commercial quantities in a recirculating, enclosed system, and believe that we have significant advantages in this market, we face competitive challenges from various directions. As noted above, the market for fresh shrimp is significant and attractive and could potentially lead to the development of new technologies that may compete with ours or copycat technologies that infringe on our patents and/or trade secrets.
Outside forces over which we have no control, such as supply chain issues, may create unforeseen obstacles that could hinder our ability to meet production goals. Further, weather may damage those companies from whom we purchase post-larvae shrimp and prohibit us from satisfying its contractual commitments to third party purchasers of our shrimp. Further, there might not be a sufficient pool of potential employees with the technical education and skills we require to staff and operate our intended new facilities in the locations in which we intend to expand.
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Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Much of our success is rooted in the diversity of our teams and our commitment to inclusion. We value diversity at all levels. We believe that our business benefits from the different perspectives a diverse workforce brings, and we pride ourselves on having a strong, inclusive and positive culture based on our shared mission and values.
Environmental, Social and Governance
Our commitment to integrating sustainability across our organization begins with our Board of Directors, or the Board. The Nominating and Governance Committee of the Board has oversight of strategy and risk management related to Environmental, Social and Governance, or ESG. All employees are responsible for upholding our core values, including to communicate, collaborate, innovate and be respectful, as well as for adhering to our Code of Ethics and Business Conduct, including our policies on bribery, corruption, conflicts of interest and our whistleblower program. We encourage employees to come to us with observations and complaints, ensuring we understand the severity and frequency of an event in order to escalate and assess accordingly. Our Chief Compliance Officer strives to ensure accountability, objectivity, and compliance with our Code of Conduct. If a complaint is financial in nature, the Audit Committee Chair is notified concurrently, which triggers an investigation, action, and report.
We are committed to protecting the environment and attempt to mitigate any negative impact of our operations. We monitor resource use, improve efficiency, and at the same time, reduce our emissions and waste. We are systematically addressing the environmental impacts of the buildings we rent as we make improvements, including adding energy control systems and other energy efficiency measures. Waste in our own operation is minimized by our commitment to reduce both single-use plastics and operating paper-free, primarily in a digital environment. We have safety protocols in place for handling biohazardous waste in our labs, and we use third-party vendors for biohazardous waste and chemical disposal.
Corporate and Available Information
Our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and all amendments to those reports are available free of charge though our website (http://www.naturalshrimp.com) as soon as practicable after such material is electronically filed with, or furnished to, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Except as otherwise stated in these documents, the information contained on our website or available by hyperlink from our website is not incorporated by reference into this report or any other documents we file, with or furnish to, the SEC.
Human Capital Management
Employees
As of July 11, 2024, we had 20 employees, 19 of whom were full-time employees and one who was part-time. In addition, we retain the services of outside consultants for various functions including engineering, finance, accounting and business development services. None of our employees are covered by collective bargaining agreements. We believe that we have good relations with our employees. We believe that our future success will depend, in part, on our continued ability to attract, hire, and retain qualified personnel. In particular, we depend on the skills, experience, and performance of our senior management and engineering and technical personnel. We compete for qualified personnel with other aquaculture industries.
We provide competitive compensation and benefits programs to help meet the needs of our employees. In addition to salaries, these programs (which vary by country/region and employment classification) include incentive compensation plan, pension, healthcare and insurance benefits, paid time off, family leave, and on-site services, among others. We also use targeted equity-based grants with vesting conditions to facilitate retention of personnel, particularly for our key employees.
Contractors
As of July 11, 2024, we retain 5 consultants and independent contractors.
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ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
You should carefully consider the risks described below together with all of the other information included in our public filings before making an investment decision with regard to our securities. The statements contained in this document that are not historic facts are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in or implied by forward-looking statements. If any of the following events described in these risk factors actually occur, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be harmed. In that case, the trading price of our common stock could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment. Moreover, additional risks not presently known to us or that we currently deem less significant also may impact our business, financial condition, or results of operations, perhaps materially. For additional information regarding risk factors, see “Forward-Looking Statements.”
Risks Related to Our Business and Industry
The market for our product may be limited, and as a result our business may be adversely affected.
The feasibility of marketing our product has been assumed to this point and there can be no assurance that such assumptions are correct. It is possible that the costs of development and implementation of our shrimp production technology may be too expensive to market our shrimp at a competitive price. It is likewise possible that competing technologies will be introduced into the marketplace before or after the introduction of our product to the market, which may affect our ability to market our product at a competitive price.
Furthermore, there can be no assurance that the prices we determine to charge for our product will be commercially acceptable or that the prices that may be dictated by the market will be sufficient to provide to us sufficient revenues to profitably operate and provide a financial return to our investors.
Our business and operations are affected by the volatility of prices for shrimp.
Our business, prospects, revenues, profitability, and future growth are highly dependent upon the prices of and demand for shrimp. Our ability to borrow and to obtain additional capital on attractive terms is also substantially dependent upon shrimp prices. These prices have been and are likely to continue to be extremely volatile for seasonal, cyclical, and other reasons. Any substantial or extended decline in the price of shrimp will have a material adverse effect on our financing capacity and our prospects for commencing and sustaining any economic commercial production. In addition, increased availability of imported shrimp can affect our business by lowering commodity prices. This could reduce the value of inventories, held both by us and by our customers, and cause many of our customers to reduce their orders for new products until they can dispose of their higher-cost inventories.
Market demand for our products may decrease.
We face competition from other producers of seafood as well as from other protein sources, such as pork, beef, and poultry. The bases on which we expect to compete include, but may not be limited to:
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Demand for our products will be affected by our competitors’ promotional spending. We may be unable to compete successfully on any or all of these bases in the future, which may have a material adverse effect on our revenues and results of operations.
Moreover, although historically the logistics and perishability of seafood has led to regionalized competition, the market for fresh and frozen seafood is becoming increasingly globalized as a result of improved delivery logistics and improved preservation of the products. Increased competition, consolidation, and overcapacity may lead to lower product pricing of competing products that could reduce demand for our products and have a material adverse effect on our revenues and results of operations.
Competition and unforeseen limited sources of supplies in the industry may result in occasional spot shortages of equipment, supplies, and materials. In particular, we may experience possible unavailability of post-larvae and materials and services used in our shrimp production facilities. Such unavailability could result in increased costs and delays to our operations. If we cannot find the products, equipment, supplies, and materials that we need on a timely basis, we may have to suspend our production plans until we find the products, equipment, and materials that we need.
Our expansion plans for our shrimp production facilities reflects our current intent and is subject to change.
Our current expansion plans are subject to change, and the continuance of such plans will depend on the following factors, among others:
We will continue to gather data about our production facilities, and it is possible that additional information may cause us to alter our schedule or determine that a certain facility should not be pursued at all.
Our product is subject to regulatory approvals and if we fail to obtain such approvals, our business may be adversely affected.
Most of the jurisdictions in which we operate will require us to obtain a license for each facility that we own and operate in that jurisdiction. We have obtained and currently hold a license to own and operate each of our facilities where a license is required. In order to maintain the licenses, we have to operate our current farms and, if we pursue acquisitions or construction of new farms, we will need to obtain additional licenses to operate those farms, where required. We are also exposed to dilution of the value of our licenses where a government issues new licenses to fish farmers other than us, thereby reducing the current value of our fish-farming licenses. Governments may change the way licenses are distributed or otherwise dilute or invalidate our licenses. If we are unable to maintain or obtain new fish-farming licenses or if new licensing regulations dilute the value of our licenses, this may have a material adverse effect on our business.
It is possible that regulatory authorities could make changes in regulatory rules and policies, and we would not be able to market or commercialize our product in the intended manner and/or the changes could adversely impact the realization of our technology or market potential.
Failure to ensure food safety and compliance with food safety standards could result in serious adverse consequences for us.
As our end products are for human consumption, food safety issues (both actual and perceived) may have a negative impact on the reputation of and demand for our products. In addition to the need to comply with relevant food safety regulations, it is of critical importance that our products are safe and perceived as safe and healthy in all relevant markets.
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Our products may be subject to contamination by food-borne pathogens, such as Listeria monocytogenes, Clostridia, Salmonella and E. Coli or contaminants. As these pathogens and substances are found in the environment, there is a risk that one or more of these organisms and pathogens can be introduced into our products as a result of improper handling, poor processing hygiene, or cross-contamination by us, the ultimate consumer, or any intermediary. We have little, if any, control over handling procedures once we ship our products for distribution. Furthermore, we may not be able to prevent contamination of our shrimp by pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, dioxins, or heavy metals.
An inadvertent shipment of contaminated products may be a violation of law and may lead to product liability claims, product recalls (which may not entirely mitigate the risk of product liability claims), increased scrutiny, and penalties, including injunctive relief and plant closings, by regulatory agencies, as well as adverse publicity.
Increased quality demands from authorities in the future relating to food safety may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, or cash flow. Legislation and guidelines with tougher requirements are expected and may imply higher costs for the food industry. In particular, the ability to trace products through all stages of development, certification, and documentation is becoming increasingly required under food safety regulations. Further, limitations on additives and use of medical products in the farmed shrimp industry may be imposed, which could result in higher costs for us.
The food industry, in general, experiences high levels of customer awareness with respect to food safety and product quality, information, and traceability. We may fail to meet new and exacting customer requirements, which could reduce demand for our products.
Our success is dependent upon our ability to commercialize our shrimp production technology.
Prior to fiscal year 2021, we had been engaged primarily in the research and development of our technology. Therefore, we have a limited operating history upon which current and potential investors can evaluate our prospects. Our prospects must be considered in light of the risk, uncertainties, expenses, delays, and difficulties associated with the establishment of a business in the evolving food industry, as well as those risks encountered in the shift from development to commercialization of new technology and products or services based upon such technology.
While we have developed our first commercial system that employs our technology, additional work is required to incorporate that technology into a system capable of accommodating thousands of customers, which is the minimum capability that we believe is necessary to compete in the marketplace.
Our shrimp production technology may not operate as intended.
Although we have successfully tested our technology, our approach, which is still fairly new in the industry, may not operate as intended or may be subject to other factors that we have not yet considered. These may include the impact of new pathogens or other biological risks, low oxygen levels, algal blooms, fluctuating seawater temperatures, predation, or escapes. Any of the foregoing may result in physical deformities to our shrimp or affect our ability to increase shrimp production, which may have a material adverse effect on our operations. Furthermore, even if we are able to successfully manage these factors, our ability to grow healthy shrimp at a commercially scalable rate may be limited.
Our success is dependent upon our ability to protect our intellectual property.
Our success will depend in part on our ability to obtain and enforce protection for our intellectual property in the United States and other countries. It is possible that our intellectual property protection could fail. It is possible that the claims for patents or other intellectual property protections could be denied or invalidated or that our protections will not be sufficiently broad to protect our technology. It is also possible that our intellectual property will not provide protection against competitive products or will not otherwise be commercially viable.
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Our commercial success will depend in part on our ability to commercialize our shrimp production without infringing on patents or proprietary rights of others. We cannot guarantee that other companies or individuals have not or will not independently develop substantially equivalent proprietary rights or that other parties have not or will not be issued patents that may prevent the sale of our products or require licensing and the payment of significant fees or royalties in order for us to be able to carry on our business.
We will need to grow the size and capabilities of our organization, and we may experience difficulties in managing this growth.
As our business strategies develop, we must add additional managerial, operational, financial, and other personnel. Future growth will impose significant added responsibilities on members of management, including:
Our future financial performance will depend, in part, on our ability to effectively manage any future growth and our management may also have to divert a disproportionate amount of its attention away from day-to-day activities in order to devote a substantial amount of time to managing these growth activities.
We currently rely, and for the foreseeable future will continue to rely, in substantial part on certain independent organizations, advisors, and consultants to provide certain services. There can be no assurance that the services of these independent organizations, advisors, and consultants will continue to be available to us on a timely basis when needed, or that we can find qualified replacements. In addition, if we are unable to effectively manage our outsourced activities or if the quality or accuracy of the services provided by consultants is compromised for any reason, we may not be able to advance our business. There can be no assurance that we will be able to manage our existing consultants or find other competent outside contractors and consultants on economically reasonable terms, if at all. If we are not able to effectively expand our organization by hiring new employees and expanding our groups of consultants and contractors, we may not be able to successfully implement the tasks necessary to further develop our business initiatives and, accordingly, may not achieve our research, development, and commercialization goals.
These and other risks associated with our planned international operations may materially adversely affect our ability to attain or maintain profitable operations.
Risks Related to Financing Our Business
Management has determined that there are factors that raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern.
The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, assuming we will continue as a going concern, which contemplates the realization of assets and satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business. For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024, we had a net loss available for common stockholders of approximately $16.3 million. At March 31, 2024, we had an accumulated deficit of approximately $183.8 million and a working capital deficit of approximately $38.1 million. At March 31, 2023, we had an accumulated deficit of approximately $167.5 million and a working capital deficit of approximately $9.3 million. These factors raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern, within one year from the issuance date of this report. Our ability to continue as a going concern is dependent on our ability to raise the required additional capital or debt financing to meet short and long-term operating requirements. We may also encounter business endeavors that require significant cash commitments or unanticipated problems or expenses that could result in a requirement for additional cash. As we continue to raise additional funds through the issuance of equity or convertible debt securities, the percentage ownership of our current stockholders could be reduced, and such securities might have rights, preferences, or privileges senior to our common stock. Additional financing may not be available upon acceptable terms, or at all. If adequate funds are not available to us or are not available on acceptable terms, we may not be able to take advantage of prospective business endeavors or opportunities, which could significantly and materially restrict our operations. If we are unable to obtain the necessary capital, we may have to cease operations.
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The expansion of our technology and operations in Webster City, Iowa will require significant capital expenditures for which we may be unable to obtain sufficient financing.
Our need for additional capital may adversely affect our financial condition. Even prior to the loss of our plant in La Coste by fire or the purchase of the VBF assets in Webster City, Iowa, we had no sustained history of earnings and have operated at a loss since we commenced business. We have relied, and continue to rely, on external sources of financing to meet our capital requirements, to continue developing our proprietary technology, to build our production facilities, and to otherwise implement our corporate development and investment strategies.
We plan to obtain the future funding that we will need through the debt and equity markets, but there can be no assurance that we will be able to obtain additional funding when it is required. If we fail to obtain the funding that we need when it is required, we may have to forego or delay potentially valuable opportunities to build shrimp production facilities or default on existing funding commitments to third parties. Our limited operating history may make it difficult to obtain financing in the future.
Our ability to generate positive cash flows is uncertain.
To develop and expand our business, we will need to make significant up-front investments in our manufacturing capacity and incur research and development, sales and marketing, and general and administrative expenses. In addition, our growth will require a significant investment in working capital. Our business will require significant amounts of working capital to meet our production requirements and support our growth.
We cannot provide any assurance that we will be able to raise the capital necessary to meet these requirements. If adequate funds are not available or are not available on satisfactory terms, we may be required to significantly curtail our operations and may not be able to fund our production requirements once they commence - let alone fund expansion, take advantage of unanticipated acquisition opportunities, develop, or enhance our products, or respond to competitive pressures. Any failure to obtain such additional financing could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, and financial condition.
We have a history of operating losses and anticipate future losses and may never be profitable.
We have experienced significant operating losses in each period since we began investing resources in our production of shrimp. These losses have resulted principally from research and development, sales and marketing, and general and administrative expenses associated with the development of our business. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024, we recorded a net loss available for common stockholders of approximately $16.3 million, or $0.02 per share, as compared with approximately $17.5 million, or $0.02 per share, for the year ended March 31, 2023. We expect to continue to incur operating losses until we reach sufficient commercial scale of our product to cover our operating costs. We cannot be certain when, if ever, we will become profitable. Even if we were to become profitable, we might not be able to sustain such profitability on a quarterly or annual basis.
Because we may never have net income from our operations, our business may fail.
We have no history of revenues and profitability from operations. There can be no assurance that we will ever operate profitably. Our success is significantly dependent on uncertain events, including successful development of our technology, establishing satisfactory manufacturing arrangements and processes, and distributing and selling our products.
Before receiving revenues from sales to customers of our products, we anticipate that we will incur increased operating expenses without realizing any revenues. We therefore expect to incur significant losses. If we are unable to generate significant revenues from sales of our products, we will not be able to earn profits or continue operations. We can provide no assurance that we will generate any revenues or ever achieve profitability. If we are unsuccessful in addressing these risks, our business will fail, and investors may lose all of their investment in our Company.
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Our insurance coverage may be inadequate to cover all significant risk exposures.
We will be exposed to particular and heightened liabilities as a result of the products we provide. As our products are intended to be ingested by natural persons, we have a heightened level of liability because a problem with our product is more likely to cause injury than many other consumer products. In addition, seafood in particular has a higher risk of contamination or causing food-borne illness than many other types of foods. While we intend to maintain insurance, the amount of our insurance coverage may not be adequate to cover all claims or liabilities, and we may be forced to bear substantial costs resulting from risks and uncertainties of our business. It is also not possible to obtain insurance to protect against all operational risks and liabilities. The failure to obtain adequate insurance coverage on terms favorable to us, or at all, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. We do not have any business interruption insurance. Any business disruption or natural disaster could result in substantial costs and diversion of resources.
Our margins fluctuate, which leads to further uncertainty in our profitability model.
While we will have the potential ability to negotiate prices that benefit our clients and affect our profitability as it garners market-share and increases our book of business, margins in the aquaculture business are fluid, and our margins vary based upon production volume and the customer. This may lead to continued uncertainty in margins from quarter to quarter.
Risks Related to Doing Business in Foreign Countries
Our operations in foreign countries are subject to political, economic, legal, and regulatory risks.
The following aspects of political, economic, legal, and regulatory systems in foreign countries create uncertainty with respect to many of the legal and business decisions that we make:
Consequently, our development and production activities in foreign countries may be substantially affected by factors beyond our control, any of which could materially adversely affect our business, prospects, financial position, and results of operations. Furthermore, in the event of a dispute arising from our operations in other countries, we may be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of courts outside the United States or may not be successful in subjecting non-U.S. persons or entities to the jurisdiction of the courts in the United States, which could adversely affect the outcome of a dispute.
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The cost of complying with governmental regulations in foreign countries may adversely affect our business operations.
We may be subject to various governmental regulations in foreign countries. These regulations may change depending on prevailing political or economic conditions. In order to comply with these regulations, we believe that we may be required to obtain permits for producing shrimp and file reports concerning our operations. These regulations affect how we carry on our business, and in order to comply with them, we may incur increased costs and delay certain activities pending receipt of requisite permits and approvals. If we fail to comply with applicable regulations and requirements, we may become subject to enforcement actions, including orders issued by regulatory or judicial authorities requiring us to cease or curtail our operations or take corrective measures involving capital expenditures, installation of additional equipment, or remedial actions. We may be required to compensate third parties for loss or damage suffered by reason of our activities and may face civil or criminal fines or penalties imposed for violations of applicable laws or regulations. Amendments to current laws, regulations, and permit requirements governing our operations and activities could affect us in a materially adverse way and could force us to increase expenditures or abandon or delay the development of shrimp production facilities.
Our international operations will involve the use of foreign currencies, which will subject us to exchange rate fluctuations and other currency risks.
We currently have no revenues from international operations. In the future, however, any revenues and related expenses of our international operations will likely be generally denominated in local currencies, which will subject us to exchange rate fluctuations between such local currencies and the U.S. dollar. These exchange rate fluctuations will subject us to currency translation risk with respect to the reported results of our international operations, as well as to other risks sometimes associated with international operations. In the future, we could experience fluctuations in financial results from our operations outside of the United States, and there can be no assurance we will be able, contractually or otherwise, to reduce the currency risks associated with our international operations.
Risks Related to Ownership of our Common Stock
We have limited capitalization and may require financing, which may not be available.
We have limited capitalization, which increases our vulnerability to general adverse economic and industry conditions, limits our flexibility in planning for or reacting to changes in our business and industry and may place us at a competitive disadvantage to competitors with sufficient or excess capitalization. If we are unable to obtain sufficient financing on satisfactory terms and conditions, we will be forced to curtail or abandon our plans or operations. Our ability to obtain financing will depend upon a number of factors, many of which are beyond our control.
The trading of our common stock may have liquidity fluctuations.
Although our common stock is listed for quotation on the OTCQB, under the symbol “SHMP”, and the trading volume of our stock has increased significantly over the last three calendar years, such liquidity may not continue to be sustainable. As a result, any trading price of our common stock may not be an accurate indicator of the valuation of our common stock. Any trading in our shares could have a significant effect on our stock price. If the public market for our common stock declines, then investors may not be able to resell the shares of our common stock that they have purchased and may lose all of their investment. No assurance can be given that an active market will continue or that a stockholder will be able to liquidate their shares of common stock without considerable delay, if at all. Furthermore, our stock price may be impacted by factors that are unrelated or disproportionate to our operating performance. These market fluctuations, as well as general economic, political and market conditions, such as recessions, interest rates or international currency fluctuations may adversely affect the market price and liquidity of our common stock.
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Our stock price may be volatile.
The market price of our common stock is likely to be highly volatile and could fluctuate widely in price in response to various factors, many of which are beyond our control, including the following:
In addition, the securities markets have from time-to-time experienced significant price and volume fluctuations that are unrelated to the operating performance of particular companies. These market fluctuations may also materially and adversely affect the market price of our common stock.
Our existing stockholders may experience significant dilution from the sale of our common stock pursuant to certain financing agreements.
The sale of our common stock pursuant to conversion of preferred stock or other convertible instruments, or pursuant to our equity line financing will have a dilutive impact on our shareholders. As a result, the market price of our common stock could decline. In addition, the lower our stock price, the greater the impact of dilution under these financing agreements. If our stock price decreases, then our existing shareholders would experience greater dilution for any given dollar amount raised through such financing.
The perceived risk of dilution may cause our stockholders to sell their shares, which may cause a decline in the price of our common stock. Moreover, the perceived risk of dilution and the resulting downward pressure on our stock price could encourage investors to engage in short sales of our common stock. By increasing the number of shares offered for sale, material amounts of short selling could further contribute to progressive price declines in our common stock.
Our stock is categorized as a penny stock. Trading of our stock may be restricted by the SEC’s penny stock regulations which may limit a stockholder’s ability to buy and sell our stock.
Our stock is categorized as a “penny stock”, as that term is defined in SEC Rule 3a51-1, which generally provides that “penny stock”, is any equity security that has a market price (as defined) less than US $5.00 per share, subject to certain exceptions. Our securities are covered by the penny stock rules, including Rule 15g-9, which impose additional sales practice requirements on broker-dealers who sell to persons other than established customers and accredited investors. The penny stock rules require a broker-dealer, prior to a transaction in a penny stock not otherwise exempt from the rules, to deliver a standardized risk disclosure document in a form prepared by the SEC which provides information about penny stocks and the nature and level of risks in the penny stock market. The broker-dealer also must provide the customer with current bid and offer quotations for the penny stock, the compensation of the broker-dealer and its salesperson in the transaction and monthly account statements showing the market value of each penny stock held in the customer’s account. The bid and offer quotations, and the broker-dealer and salesperson compensation information, must be given to the customer orally or in writing prior to effecting the transaction and must be given to the customer in writing before or with the customer’s confirmation. In addition, the penny stock rules require that prior to a transaction in a penny stock not otherwise exempt from these rules, the broker-dealer must make a special written determination that the penny stock is a suitable investment for the purchaser and receive the purchaser’s written agreement to the transaction. These disclosure requirements may have the effect of reducing the level of trading activity in the secondary market for the stock that is subject to these penny stock rules. Consequently, these penny stock rules may affect the ability of broker-dealers to trade our securities and reduces the number of potential investors. We believe that the penny stock rules discourage investor interest in and limit the marketability of our common stock.
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According to SEC Release No. 34-29093, the market for “penny stocks” has suffered in recent years from patterns of fraud and abuse. Such patterns include: (1) control of the market for the security by one or a few broker-dealers that are often related to the promoter or issuer; (2) manipulation of prices through prearranged matching of purchases and sales and false and misleading press releases; (3) boiler room practices involving high-pressure sales tactics and unrealistic price projections by inexperienced sales persons; (4) excessive and undisclosed bid-ask differential and markups by selling broker-dealers; and (5) the wholesale dumping of the same securities by promoters and broker-dealers after prices have been manipulated to a desired level, along with the resulting inevitable collapse of those prices and with consequent investor losses. The occurrence of these patterns or practices could increase the future volatility of our share price.
FINRA sales practice requirements may also limit a stockholder’s ability to buy and sell our stock.
In addition to the “penny stock” rules described above, FINRA has adopted rules that require that in recommending an investment to a customer, a broker-dealer must have reasonable grounds for believing that the investment is suitable for that customer. Prior to recommending speculative low-priced securities to their non-institutional customers, broker-dealers must make reasonable efforts to obtain information about the customer’s financial status, tax status, investment objectives and other information. Under interpretations of these rules, FINRA believes that there is a high probability that speculative low-priced securities will not be suitable for at least some customers. The FINRA requirements make it more difficult for broker-dealers to recommend that their customers buy our common stock, which may limit your ability to buy and sell our stock and have an adverse effect on the market for our shares.
To date, we have not paid any cash dividends and no cash dividends will be paid in the foreseeable future.
We do not anticipate paying cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future and we may not have sufficient funds legally available to pay dividends. Even if the funds are legally available for distribution, we may nevertheless decide not to pay any dividends. We presently intend to retain all earnings for our operations.
The existence of indemnification rights to our directors, officers and employees may result in substantial expenditures by our Company and may discourage lawsuits against our directors, officers and employees.
Our bylaws contain indemnification provisions for our directors, officers and employees, and we have entered into indemnification agreements with our officer and directors. The foregoing indemnification obligations could result in us incurring substantial expenditures to cover the cost of settlement or damage awards against directors and officers, which we may be unable to recoup. These provisions and resultant costs may also discourage us from bringing a lawsuit against directors and officers for breaches of their fiduciary duties and may similarly discourage the filing of derivative litigation by our stockholders against our directors and officers even though such actions, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our stockholders.
If we fail to develop or maintain an effective system of internal control over financial reporting, we may not be able to accurately report our financial results or prevent financial fraud. As a result, current and potential stockholders could lose confidence in our financial reporting.
We are subject to the risk that sometime in the future, our independent registered public accounting firm could communicate to the board of directors that we have deficiencies in our internal control structure that they consider to be “significant deficiencies.” A “significant deficiency” is defined as a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting such that there is more than a remote likelihood that a material misstatement of the entity’s financial statements will not be prevented or detected by the entity’s internal control over financial reporting.
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Effective internal control over financial reporting is necessary for us to provide reliable financial reports and effectively prevent fraud. If we cannot provide reliable financial reports or prevent fraud, we could be subject to regulatory action or other litigation and our operating results could be harmed. As set forth in this report, as of March 31, 2024, Company management assessed the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15 and Rule 15d-15 under the Exchange Act) based on the criteria for effective internal control over financial reporting established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission and SEC guidance on conducting such assessments. Management concluded that, during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting was not effective. Management realized that there were deficiencies in the design or operation of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that adversely affected it and that management considers to be material weaknesses. Such material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting have not been remedied.
The ineffectiveness of NaturalShrimp’s internal control over financial reporting was due to the following material weaknesses, which are indicative of many small companies with small number of staff:
Company management continues to implement measures designed to ensure that control deficiencies contributing to the material weakness are remediated, such that these controls are designed, implemented, and operating effectively.
The remediation actions planned include:
Company management will continue to monitor and evaluate the relevance of its risk-based approach and the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting on an ongoing basis and is committed to taking further action and implementing additional enhancements or improvements, as necessary and as funds allow.
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Further, a material weakness in the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting could result in an increased chance of fraud and the loss of customers, reduce our ability to obtain financing, and require additional expenditures to comply with these requirements, each of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, and financial condition. For additional information, see Item 9A – Controls and Procedures.
If we are unable to implement and maintain effective internal control over financial reporting, including as applicable standards governing internal control are modified, supplemented, or amended from time to time, we may not be able to ensure that we can conclude on an ongoing basis that we have effective internal control over financial reporting. Failure to achieve and maintain effective internal control over financial reporting could cause us to face regulatory action and cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information, either of which could adversely affect the value of our common stock.
General Risk Factors Applicable to the Company
If we lose our key management and technical personnel, our business may be adversely affected.
In carrying out our operations, we rely upon a small group of key management and technical personnel including our Chief Executive Officer and President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technology Officer, and Chief Financial Officer. An unexpected partial or total loss of the services of any of our executive officers could be detrimental to our business.
Our Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer does not devote his full time to the Company.
We are highly dependent on the services of William Delgado, our Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer. Although Mr. Delgado allocates a significant amount of time to the Company and is active in our management, he does not devote his full time and attention to us. In addition to his positions with the Company, Mr. Delgado is also President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chief Financial Officer of Eco-Growth Strategies, Inc., a Hawaii based bottled water company, and Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Global Digital Solutions, Inc., a transportation technology company. Mr. Delgado may also become involved in additional ventures from time to time.
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Worldwide economic and social instability could adversely affect our revenue, financial condition, and results of operations.
The health of the global economy, and the credit markets and the financial services industry in particular, as well as the stability of the social fabric of our society, will affect our business and operating results. For example, the credit and financial markets may continue to be adversely affected by the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine and measures taken in response thereto. If the credit markets are not favorable, we may be unable to raise additional financing when needed or on favorable terms. Our customers may experience financial difficulties or be unable to borrow money to fund their operations, which may adversely impact their ability to purchase our products or to pay for our products on a timely basis, if at all.
General inflation, including rising energy prices, and interest rates and wages could have negative impacts on our business by increasing our operating costs and our borrowing costs as well as decreasing the capital available for our customers to purchase our products. General inflation in the United States, Europe and other geographies has risen to levels not experienced in recent decades. Additionally, inflation and price volatility may cause our customers to reduce use of our products would harm our business operations and financial position.
We need to raise additional funds and such funds may not be available on acceptable terms or at all.
We may consider issuing additional debt or equity securities in the future to fund our business plan, for potential acquisitions or investments, or for general corporate purposes. If we issue equity or convertible debt securities to raise additional funds, our existing stockholders may experience dilution, and the new equity or debt securities may have rights, preferences, and privileges senior to those of our existing stockholders. If we incur additional debt, it may increase our leverage relative to our earnings or to our equity capitalization, requiring us to pay additional interest expenses. We may not be able to obtain financing on favorable terms, or at all, in which case, we may not be able to develop or enhance our products, execute our business plan, take advantage of future opportunities, or respond to competitive pressures.
As the owner of real estate, we are subject to risks under environmental laws, the cost of compliance with which and any violation of which could materially adversely affect us.
Our operating expenses could be higher than anticipated due to the cost of complying with existing and future laws and regulations. Various environmental laws may impose liability on the current or prior owner or operator of real property for removal or remediation of hazardous or toxic substances. Current or prior owners or operators may also be liable for government fines and damages for injuries to persons, natural resources, and adjacent property. These environmental laws often impose liability regardless of whether the owner or operator knew of, or was responsible for, the presence or disposal of the hazardous or toxic substances. The cost of complying with environmental laws could materially adversely affect our results of operations, and such costs could exceed the value of our applicable facility. In addition, the presence of hazardous or toxic substances, or the failure to properly manage, dispose of, or remediate such substances, may adversely affect our ability to use, sell, or rent our property or to borrow using our property as collateral which, in turn, could reduce our revenue and our financing ability. We have not engaged independent environmental consultants to assess the likelihood of any environmental contamination or liabilities and have not obtained a Phase I environmental assessment on our properties. Even if we did obtain a Phase I environmental assessment report, however, such reports are limited in scope and might not reveal all existing material environmental contamination.
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ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
Not Applicable.
ITEM 1C. CYBERSECURITY
Risk management and strategy
Management of material risks from cybersecurity threats is integrated into the Company’s overall risk management processes and is monitored as an enterprise risk. To that extent, the Company has engaged with a third-party service provider, DATAECON, in order to help manage its ongoing cybersecurity risk. This includes processes that are put in place in order to oversee and identify risks from cybersecurity threats associated with its use of any third-party service provider.
During our fiscal year ended March 31, 2023 , the email of one of our executive officers was hacked by an unknown third party. Utilizing the hacked email of our executive officer, the unknown third party requested a $100,000 payment from one of our investors. In response to the email, the investor wired the $100,000 payment to a bank account provided in the email. The investor funds were not recovered, and the Company was required to make certain restitution to the investor (via the issuance of common shares). As a result of the incident, the Company engaged with DATAECON in order to reduce the potential of such cybersecurity risks going forward.
Governance
While the board of directors does not have any formal oversight of risks from cybersecurity threats, it is important to note that, as discussed in Part III of this filing, our board of directors is comprised solely of Messrs. Easterling, Delgado and Untermeyer. As such, pursuant to the information provided below, all risks from cybersecurity threats our immediately shared with the board of directors.
Our chief technology officer (the “CTO”), Tom Untermeyer, is responsible for managing the Company’s cybersecurity risk. Mr. Untermeyer has served as the Company’s CTO since 2015. His business experience includes systems engineering, program development and technical management. Further, Mr. Untermeyer holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from St. Mary’s University. As NaturalShrimp is a small company with a limited number of employees, any cybsecurity threat or incident is immediately brought to the attention of Mr. Untermeyer. Further, as noted above, Mr. Untermeyer will then immediately inform his fellow board members including Mr. Easterling and Mr. Delgado.
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