2018 Report Epec - James F.C. Hyde Sorgho Whiskey

Filed on May 02, 2019

We are offering Convertible Notes and not direct equity interests in the Company. The Convertible Notes will convert into equity securities in the event that the Company: 1) sells Equity to outside investors where we raise at least $1 Million; 2) we sell all the company’s assets, merge with another company or are taken over by another company; 3) the Convertible Note's Maturity Date is realized; or 4) initial public offering. This means that investors will have to wait until a conversion event occurs to know what size stake they have in the company, or what its value might be as assessed by outside investors.

Ron Miller is a part-time officer. As such, it is likely that the company will not make the same progress as it would if that were not the case.

Our failure to protect our trademarks and trade secrets could compromise our competitive position and decrease the value of our brand portfolio. Our business and prospects depend, in part, on our ability to develop favorable consumer recognition of our brands and trademarks. Although we apply for registration of our brands and trademarks, they could be imitated in ways that we cannot prevent. Also, we rely on trade secrets and proprietary know-how, concepts and formulas. Our methods of protecting this information may not be adequate. Moreover, we may face claims of misappropriation or infringement of third parties’ rights that could interfere with our use of this information. Defending these claims may be costly and, if unsuccessful, may prevent us from continuing to use this proprietary information in the future and result in a judgment or monetary damages being levied against us. We do not maintain non-competition agreements with all of our key personnel or with some of our key suppliers. If competitors independently develop or otherwise obtain access to our trade secrets, proprietary know-how or recipes, the appeal, and thus the value of our brand portfolio could be reduced, negatively impacting our sales and growth potential.

James R. Hyde is a part-time officer. As such, it is likely that the company will not make the same progress as it would if that were not the case.

Glenn Pohs is a part-time officer. As such, it is likely that the company will not make the same progress as it would if that were not the case.

Steven Relis is a part-time officer. As such, it is likely that the company will not make the same progress as it would if that were not the case.

Brian Van Flandern is a part-time officer. As such, it is likely that the company will not make the same progress as it would if that were not the case.

Our future success depends on the efforts of a small management team. The loss of services of the members of the management team may have an adverse effect on the company. There can be no assurance that we will be successful in attracting and retaining other personnel we require to successfully grow our business.

Steven W. Heller is a part-time officer. As such, it is likely that the company will not make the same progress as it would if that were not the case.

The Company has limited operating history upon which you can base your investment decision. We are an early stage venture and therefore has a limited history of performance, financials and experience managing growth for you to base your investment decisions. Our ability to generate sufficient revenue will depend upon whether we can further develop and commercialize our current products and make the transition from a start-up to an operating company. The Company’s assumptions and expectations regarding our ability to market our services and products, develop our technology and compete with large competitors may be incorrect and as such we may have difficulty growing the Company.

The Company is a holding company with limited operating history. We may never successfully execute our business plan and, as a result, you will lose your entire investment amount. Epec is a holding company whose subsidiaries are early stage companies with limited operating history. To date, our primary focus has been on strategic investments in the sorghum supply chain. We recently entered the market for alcohol beverages with a new product, Sorgho Whiskey®. In doing so, we may fail to successfully market and promote our business, develop our products or manage growth. Successfully marketing and promoting our product is a complex and uncertain process, dependent on the efforts of management, outside consultants and general economic conditions, among other things. Accordingly, you should consider the Company’s prospects in light of the costs, uncertainties, delays and difficulties frequently encountered by companies in the early stages of development. Investors should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties that a new company with little or no operating history will face. In particular, potential investors should consider that there is a significant risk that we will not be able to: (i) implement or execute our current business plan, or our business plan is sound; (ii) maintain our anticipated management and advisory team; (iii) raise sufficient funds in the capital markets to effectuate our business plan; (iv) control the costs of growing the business; and/or (v) attract, enter into or maintain contracts with, vendors, suppliers, and distributors. If we cannot execute any one of the foregoing, our business may fail, in which case you would lose the entire amount of your investment in the Company.

We depend on a third-party suppliers to maintain the quality and cost of our products, including Sorgho Whiskey®. Jersey Artisan Distillery (the “Distillery”), a subsidiary of Epec Holdings, is dependent on third-party suppliers for key ingredients such as Sorghum Syrup, packaging materials and production inputs, and its use of natural ingredients exposes it to weather and crop reliability. In addition, since the Distillery’s production relies on the use of agricultural products, many outside factors, including weather conditions, farmers’ rotation of crops, pests, government regulations and legislation affecting agriculture, could affect quality, price and supply. Our product is also exposed to the quality of the crops of agricultural products each year, and significant failure of a crop would adversely affect its costs. Further, if suppliers increase their prices, we may not have alternative sources of supply and may not be able to raise the prices of our products to cover all or even a portion of the increased costs. Any termination or an adverse change in the terms of these supplier relationships could have a negative impact on our business.

The price of the securities and other terms of the offering have been arbitrarily determined by the Company. The offering price for the Securities has been determined solely and arbitrarily by the Company. No independent studies with respect to feasibility, management or marketing by a disinterested person have been considered in determining the Company’s capital requirements or plans of operations. Therefore, there can be no assurance that the capital raised will be adequate for the execution of our business plan and the other objectives of the Company or that additional capital will not be required in the future. The price at which you purchase the Securities may not be indicative of the value of our Company. You may be unable to sell your Securities at or above your purchase price, which may result in substantial losses to you and which may include the complete loss of your investment. Without a public market, the value of the Company and the value of the Securities may fluctuate significantly in the future. The trading price, if any, of the securities upon conversion to equity that may prevail in any market that may develop in the future, for which there can be no assurance, may be higher or lower than the price you pay. Any of the risks described herein, or otherwise, could have a material adverse effect on our sales and profitability and the value of our common stock. In addition, economic conditions around the world and especially the United States as a whole, could have a negative impact on our results of operations. Accordingly, any inaccuracy in forecasting anticipated revenues and expenses could adversely affect our business. The failure to receive anticipated orders or to complete delivery in any period could adversely affect our results of operations for that period. Quarterly results are not necessarily indicative of future performance for any particular period and we may not experience revenue growth or profitability on a quarterly or an annual basis.

The offering materials may include forward looking statements but there can be no assurance that the results and events contemplated by forward-looking statements will, in fact, transpire. Forward-looking statements can be identified by use of terminology such as “believe,” “hope,” “may,” “anticipate,” “should,” “intend,” “plan,” “will,” “expect,” “estimate,” “project,” “positioned,” “strategy” and similar expressions. You should be aware that these forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that are beyond the Company’s control. Actual results could differ significantly from these forward-looking statements. In light of these risks and uncertainties, there can be no assurance that the results and events contemplated by the forward-looking statements contained in offering materials will in fact transpire. You are cautioned to not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Investing in startups companies is highly speculative (risky). The following is not intended to be a comprehensive list nor a substitute for discussing the risks of specific investment opportunities with your professional advisors, including your legal, tax and financial advisors. We also encourage you to read the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Investor Bulletin which provides important information to investors interested in investing in crowdfunding offerings SEC Investor Bulletin: Crowdfunding YOU SHOULD NOT INVEST ANY FUNDS IN THIS OFFERING UNLESS YOU CAN AFFORD TO LOSE YOUR ENTIRE INVESTMENT WITHOUT A CHANGE IN YOUR LIFESTYLE.

Although dependent on certain key personnel, we do not have any key man life insurance policies on such persons and does not intend to obtain such insurance in the near future. The Company is dependent upon our founders, executives, and key employees in order to conduct its operations and execute its business plan. In particular, we rely on the skills and expertise of our Master Distiller, Brant Braue, whom we believe is one of the most experienced distillers of sorghum molasses in the world, and his knowledge of our business and industry would be difficult to replace. If Mr. Braue, or one of our other founders, executive officers or significant employees terminates their relationship with the Company, we may not be able to replace their expertise, fully integrate new personnel or replicate the prior working relationships, and the loss of their services might significantly delay or prevent the achievement of our business objectives. Further, the Company has not purchased any insurance policies with respect to those individuals in the event of their death or disabilities. Therefore, in the event of death or disability of key persons, the Company will not receive any compensation and the loss of their services will negatively affect the Company and its operation.

The proceeds of the Offering may be insufficient. The Company believes that the maximum offering amount of $255,000 will be sufficient to fund the Company’s operations and further development and investment in the sorghum supply chain and production cycle. However, if management’s assumptions are incorrect, or if budgeted amounts are inadequate due to cost overruns, increased operating costs, or unexpected developments, the proceeds of the Offering may be insufficient for such purpose. In such event, we would likely require additional capital investment or debt financing to fund the above-referenced needs, and there can be no certainty that we would then be able to obtain funding on favorable terms or at all. If additional capital is needed and either unavailable or cost prohibitive, our operations and growth may be limited as we may need to change our business strategy to slow the rate of, or eliminate, our expansion or reduce or curtail our operations. Also, any additional financing we undertake could impose covenants upon us that restrict our operating flexibility, and, if we issue equity securities to raise capital our existing shareholders may experience dilution and the new securities may have rights, preferences and privileges senior to those of our common stock.

We have not prepared any audited financial statements of the Company. Regulation Crowdfunding does not require us to provide audited financials in this offering. Therefore, you have no audited financial information regarding the Company’s capitalization or assets or liabilities on which to make your investment decision. If you feel the information provided is insufficient, you should not invest in the Company.

The Company is a party in a dispute with a former Jersey Artisan vendor. A suit has been filed in a county court.

The Company is a party in a dispute with a former partner in Jersey Artisan. No suit has been filed.

The Company believes the claims are without merit, has retained counsel and is vigorously defending against the claims.

Investors will not be entitled to any inspection rights or information other than those required by Regulation Crowdfunding. You will not have the right to inspect the books and records of the Company or receive financial or other information beyond what is required by Regulation Crowdfunding as convertible note holders are not considered shareholders. Other equity holders may have such rights. Regulation Crowdfunding requires only the provision of an annual report on Form C-AR and no additional information. This lack of information could put convertible note holders at a disadvantage compared to other security holders.

If retailers and consumers are not willing to accept our product and pricing, we will be unable to grow our business. Our business depends largely upon the acceptance of our product by potential distributors, retailers and consumers. If we are unable to successfully market our product to these groups, we will be unable to grow our business and may face bankruptcy. A significant or sustained decline in volume or selling price of rum, whiskey and bourbon brands would likely have a negative effect on our growth and our stock price. Should we not be successful in our efforts to maintain and increase the relevance and acceptance of our brand in the minds of today’s and tomorrow’s consumer, our business and operating results could suffer.

Investors in the Convertible Notes will have no voting rights, even upon conversion of the Securities into CF Shadow Series Securities. Investors will not have the right to vote upon matters of the Company even if and when their Securities are converted into CF Shadow Series Securities. Upon such conversion, CF Shadow Series Security holders will have no voting rights and even in circumstances where a statutory right to vote is provided by state law, the CF Shadow Series Security holders are required to vote with the majority of the security holders in the new round of equity financing upon which the Securities were converted. Thus, Investors will never be able to freely vote upon any director or other matters of the Company. Only those willing to entrust all decisions to others should invest.

The Distillery’s licenses are subject to revocation. The Distillery, and its products, are regulated and licensed at the federal and state levels. Revocation of federal licensing would force the Distillery to cease its current operations. Revocation of licensing by a state could force the Distillery to cease sales and marketing in that state. We are at risk because we do not have a diversified merchandise mix. The great majority of our assets will be committed to developing and marketing a single product in a single industry under a single brand – James FC Hyde® Sorgho Whiskey®. Accordingly, because we have few other assets or products that could spread the risk of investment, our profitability will depend on the success of our sales of products under our brand name. We may, at any time, elect to discontinue use of the Sorgho Whiskey® brand name or change our products, services, or concepts.

Demand for our product may be adversely affected by many factors, including changes in consumer preferences and trends. Consumer preferences may shift due to a variety of factors including changes in demographic and social trends, public health initiatives, product innovations, changes in vacation or leisure activity patterns and a downturn in economic conditions, which may reduce consumers’ willingness to purchase distilled spirits or cause a shift in consumer preferences toward beer, wine or non-alcoholic beverages. Our success depends in part on fulfilling available opportunities to meet consumer needs and anticipating changes in consumer preferences with successful new products, branding, and product innovations.

The Company’s securities will not be transferable for a period of one year, other than in limited circumstances. The Company’s securities are subject to restrictions on transfer. You will not be able to transfer the Company’s securities for a period of one year from the date of purchase, subject to limited exceptions including transfers to the Company, to an accredited investor, to a member of your family or in connection with death or divorce or other similar circumstances, in the discretion of the Commission or in an offering registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Thus, you should be prepared to hold any securities you purchase in this offering subject to these restrictions.

Although our financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis, we must raise additional capital to fund our operations in order to continue as a going concern. Artesian CPA, LLC, our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, has included an explanatory paragraph in their opinion that accompanies our reviewed consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, indicating that our current liquidity position raises substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. Our ability to remain in business is reliant on either generating sufficient cash flows, raising additional equity or debt capital, or likely a combination of the two. Even if targeted funds are raised, it is likely that we will need to raise additional funds in the near future and we cannot provide any assurance that we will be successful in doing so.

There is uncertainty about the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, including Regulation Crowdfunding, and its interpretation and implementations remain to be tested. We are relying on a newly created financing program (equity crowdfunding). The application of the crowdfunding exemptions and its implementation and interpretation remains to be fully tested. As a result, potential investors will not have the benefit of relying on precedent in making their investment decision and will face some uncertainty about the validity of their investment. In the event the Securities and Exchange Commission determines that we incorrectly interpreted the crowdfunding exemption in this crowdfunded offering, we may be required to offer rescission rights for these securities and this crowdfunded offering and our financial condition may be in jeopardy.

The Company has the right to extend the Offering deadline. The Company may extend the Offering deadline beyond what is currently stated herein. This means that your investment may continue to be held in escrow while the Company attempts to raise the Minimum Amount even after the Offering deadline stated herein is reached. Your investment will not be accruing interest during this time and will simply be held until such time as the new Offering deadline is reached without the Company receiving the Minimum Amount, at which time it will be returned to you without interest or deduction, or the Company receives the Minimum Amount, at which time it will be released to the Company to be used as set forth herein. Upon or shortly after release of such funds to the Company, the Securities will be issued and distributed to you.

The Securities are being offered pursuant to certain exemptions from registration for crowdfunding transactions and if any of the requirements for the exemption are violated, the Company and the investors may become subject to liability under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and other federal and state securities laws. The Securities are being offered pursuant to an exemption from registration, which is available for crowdfunded offerings. Specifically, issuers may only sell up to approximately $1 million worth of securities within a twelve-month period. Investors in a crowdfunding offering may invest no more than their individually permitted amount within a twelve-month period. In order to avail itself of the exemption from registration, the Company must also sell the Securities through a qualified broker or funding portal. If any of the conditions for the exemption are violated, the Investors and Company may have exposure to liability under federal and state securities laws.

Negative events in the crowdfunding industry may subject the Company to reputational harm, or increased regulatory oversight, increasing the risk of financial liability and additional compliance requirements resulting from adverse regulatory actions. Any highly-publicized events or regulatory inquiries concerning potential fraudulent offerings or other schemes designed to harm investors through crowdfunding can be expected to result in negative publicity for crowdfunded companies, increased scrutiny and oversight of companies that avail themselves of the crowdfunding exemption, as well as potential new rules and regulations. This may make it more difficult to succeed with the Company’s business plan or attract new investors and may result in an increase in operational and compliance costs or otherwise limit the Company’s ability to engage in certain activities. We may also be adversely affected as a result of new or revised legislation or regulations imposed by the Securities and Exchange Commission, other U.S. governmental regulatory authorities, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority or other self-regulatory organizations that supervise the financial markets in general. This could impact our ability to conduct its business with third parties, obtain future financing and could decrease the pool of potential investors seeking to participate in any future crowdfunding offerings.

We have a name and logo that are not well known. Our distributor’s ability to sell our brand depends on the ready acceptance by the consuming public of a trade/brand name and logo of a new spirit category–Sorgho Whiskey®. Further, any products or brands we may develop in the future are unlikely to have established extensive recognition. Competitors have developed well-known trade/brand names and logos that have, and may continue to have, superior recognition in the relevant marketplace. There can be no assurance that our product will be well received by the consuming public and relevant markets.

The Distillery is subject to governmental regulations affecting distilleries and tasting rooms. Federal, state and local laws and regulations govern the production, distribution, and sale of spirits, including permitting, licensing, trade practices, labeling, advertising and marketing, distributor relationships, and various other matters. To operate its production facilities, the Distillery must obtain and maintain numerous permits, licenses and approvals from various governmental agencies, including the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, the Food and Drug Administration, state alcohol regulatory agencies and state and federal environmental agencies. A variety of federal, state and local governmental authorities also levy various taxes, license fees and other similar charges and may require bonds to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The Distillery’s tasting room is subject to alcohol beverage control regulations that require the Distillery to maintain a license that may be revoked or suspended for cause at any time. These alcohol beverage control regulations relate to numerous aspects of daily operations of Distillery’s tasting room, including minimum age of patrons and employees, hours of operation, advertising, trade practices, inventory control and handling, storage and dispensing of alcohol beverages. Noncompliance with such laws and regulations may result in revocation of the applicable license or permit (thereby restricting the Distillery’s ability to conduct business), assessment of additional taxes, interest and penalties, or the imposition of significant fines.

We depend on our independent wholesale distributors to distribute our products. The failure or inability of any of our distributors to adequately distribute our products within their territories could harm our sales and result in a decline in our results of operations. We are required by law to use state-licensed distributors or, in certain states known as “control states,” state-owned agencies performing this function, to sell our products to retail outlets, including liquor stores, bars, restaurants and national chains in the U.S. We have established relationships for our brands with a limited number of wholesale distributors; however, failure to maintain those relationships could significantly and adversely affect our business, sales and growth. We currently distribute our products in Florida, New York, New Jersey, Kansas, Massachusetts, California, Texas, Illinois, Nevada and Wyoming. If we fail to develop and maintain good relations with distributors, our products could in some instances be frozen out of one or more markets entirely. The ultimate success of our products also depends in large part on our distributors’ ability and desire to distribute our products to our desired U.S. target markets, as we rely significantly on them for product placement and retail store penetration. In addition, all of our distributors also distribute competitive brands and product lines. We cannot assure you that our U.S. alcohol distributors will continue to purchase our products, commit sufficient time and resources to promote and market our brands and product lines or that they can or will sell them to our desired or targeted markets. If they do not, our sales will be harmed, resulting in a decline in our results of operations.

Substantial disruption to production at our manufacturing and distribution facilities could occur. A disruption in production at the Distillery’s manufacturing facility, or a disruption at the facilities of the Distillery’s suppliers or distributors, some of whom may also be Affiliates to the Company, could adversely affect the Distillery’s business, results of operations and financial condition. A disruption could occur for many reasons, including fire, natural disasters, weather, water scarcity, manufacturing problems, disease, strikes, transportation or supply interruption, government regulation, cybersecurity attacks or terrorism. Alternative facilities with sufficient capacity or capabilities may not be available, may cost substantially more or may take a significant time to start production, each of which could negatively affect the Distillery’s business, results of operations and financial condition.

The Company’s obligations pursuant to future debt obligations could impair its liquidity and financial condition. The Company will require additional financings and may incur substantial debt in the future to fund all or part of its capital requirements. Any future debt obligations would impact our ability to satisfy our other obligations, execute our business plan, and raise additional working capital, if needed. As a result, we would be more vulnerable in the event of a downturn in our business prospects and have limited ability to react to changes in the Company’s industry. Further, we could be forced, in the event we were to default under any such loan agreement subjecting our assets to foreclosure, to seek protection under bankruptcy laws, which could harm our future operations and overall financial condition.

Securities with superior rights may be offered in the future. In the future, it is likely that the Company will issue securities with rights superior to those associated with the securities purchased in the current round of funding. Those rights could include, but will not necessarily be limited to, the right to receive dividends, the right to participate in management, the right to receive preferential distributions on the sale of the Company, the right to be protected from dilution, and preemptive rights.

Our business is subject to many regulations and noncompliance is costly. The production, marketing and sale of alcoholic beverage products, including contents, labels and packaging, are subject to the rules and regulations of various federal, provincial, state and local health agencies. If a regulatory authority finds that a current or future product or production run is not in compliance with any of these regulations, our operating partners may be fined, or production may be stopped, thus adversely affecting our financial conditions and operations. Further, any legal or regulatory actions relating to the Company or its operating partners’ current or past business operations, including employee actions, licensing, disclosure, sales practices, regulatory compliance and compensation agreements, tax liabilities, or governmental or administrative investigations and proceedings in the context of the Company’s regulated sectors of activity, could materially adversely affect our results of operations and financial conditions. Any adverse publicity associated with any noncompliance may further damage our reputation and our ability to successfully market our products. Furthermore, the rules and regulations are subject to change from time to time and while we closely monitor developments in this area, we have no way of anticipating whether changes in these rules and regulations will impact our business adversely. Additional or revised regulatory requirements, whether labeling, environmental, tax or otherwise, could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

There is no public trading market for the Securities and none may develop. There is no public or private market for the Securities or for any other securities we may issue and there can be no assurance that any such market would ever develop. There is, therefore, no assurance that the Securities can be resold at all, or near the offering price. Each Purchaser will be required to represent that he or she is acquiring such Securities for investment and not with a view to distribution or resale, that he or she understands that the Securities are not freely transferable and, in any event, that he or she must bear the economic risk of an investment in the Securities for an indefinite period of time because the Securities have not been registered under the Act or applicable state securities laws. The Securities cannot be resold unless they are subsequently registered or an exemption from registration is available.

Our business is highly competitive. Competition presents an ongoing threat to the success of our business. Many factors may prevent us from competing successfully. We compete on the basis of product taste, quality and composition, brand image, price, service, and ability to innovate in response to consumer preferences. The global spirits industry is highly competitive and is dominated by several large, well-funded international companies. It is possible that our competitors may either respond to industry conditions or consumer trends more rapidly or effectively or resort to price competition to sustain market share, which could adversely affect our sales and profitability. We will be competing with many large, entrenched producers who are resistant to change and new entrants into the market. Many of our competitors have established market acceptance and have far greater financial resources, experience, proven operating histories and larger staffs than we do. Our competitors may develop products that are similar to ours or that achieve greater market acceptance, may undertake more far-reaching and successful product development efforts or marketing campaigns, or may adopt more aggressive pricing policies. We expect to face strong competition from both well-established spirits companies and small, independent producers.

Nevada Market Development Tethered to Untested Device A substantial portion of present and future sales in the critically important Nevada market are tethered to a coffee dripping device being used as a James FC Hyde Sorgho Whiskey cocktail mixer capable of making a practical and consistent quality Old Fashioned (or other whiskey cocktails). We have limited experience with the device with but a single successful deployment with it. Should the device be unable to function as we anticipate, it will have an adverse effect on Southern Glazer's Wine and Spirits in Nevada.