Note 11 - Related Party Transactions

Sale and Leaseback. On May 26, 2021, the Company entered into a Purchase and Sale Agreement with OK Biltong Facility, LLC (“Buyer”), an entity controlled by a member of the Company’s board of directors, pursuant to which the parties consummated a sale and leaseback transaction (the “Sale and Leaseback Transaction”) of the Company’s manufacturing facility and the surrounding property in Madill, Oklahoma (the “Real Property”) for a total purchase price of $7,500,000.

In connection with the consummation of the Sale and Leaseback Transaction, the Company entered into a lease agreement (the “Lease Agreement”) with Buyer pursuant to which the Company leased back the Real Property from Buyer for an initial term of twelve (12) years unless earlier terminated or extended in accordance with the terms of the Lease Agreement. Under the Lease Agreement, the Company’s financial obligations include base rent of approximately $60,000 per month, which rent will increase on an annual basis at two percent (2%) over the initial term and two-and-a-half percent (2.5%) during any extension term. The Company is also responsible for all monthly expenses related to the leased facility, including insurance premiums, taxes and other expenses, such as utilities. Under the Lease Agreement, the Company has three (3) options to extend the term of the lease by five (5) years for each such option and a one-time right and option to purchase the Real Property at a price that escalates over time and, if Buyer decides to sell the Real Property, the Company has a right of first refusal to purchase the Real Property on the same terms offered to any third party.

The Company determined that the sale and leaseback transaction contained continuing involvement and thus used the financing method consistent with ASC 842. The transfer did not qualify as a sale; hence it is considered a "failed" sale and both parties account for it as a financing transaction. Accordingly, a financing obligation related to the operating lease in the amount of the sale price ($7,500,000) has been booked and the corresponding assets on the balance sheet are maintained. Under the finance method, rental payments are applied as amortization and/or interest expense on the financing obligation as appropriate using an assumed interest rate. The Company is accounting for these as interest only payments because the Company's incremental cost to borrow when applied to the financing obligation is greater than the rental payments under the Lease Agreement. The Company recognized interest expense of $187,265 and $183,593 during the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

Promissory Notes. On April 19, 2023, the Company issued an aggregate of $1,175,000 in Related Party Notes. The Related Party Notes accrue interest annually at a rate of 12% and will mature upon the earlier of (i) December 31, 2024, or (ii) the closing of the next sale (or series of related sales) by the Company of its equity securities (other than pursuant to warrants described below), following the date of the Related Party Notes, from which the Company receives gross proceeds of not less than $3,000,000. The Related Party Notes are secured by a security interest on substantially all the assets of the Company that is subordinate to the security interests of the Company’s existing first and second lien lenders. See Note 6 for further discussion on the Related Party Notes. Each related party lender that purchased Related Party Notes received a warrant (the “April 2023 Warrants”) to purchase 1/15th of a share of the Company’s Class A common stock for each $0.1833 of principal amount of the Related Party Notes, for an aggregate of 2,288,664 April 2023 Warrants convertible to 152,577 shares of Class A common stock. Each April 2023 Warrant is exercisable immediately, has an exercise price per share of Class A common stock equal to $2.75 and will expire three years and three months from the date of issuance and may be exercised on a cashless basis if a registration statement registering the resale of the shares issuable upon exercise is not effective. See Note 8 for further discussion on the April 2023 Warrants.

Other. During the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company did not purchase goods from an entity controlled by a member of the Company’s Board of Directors (the "Related Party Manufacturer"). The balance owed to the Related Party Manufacturer as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 was $807.

The Company previously had note receivables due from certain directors, officers and employees of the Company. The note receivables and the accrued interest was forgiven in connection with the Business Combination on July 20, 2021. The forgiveness of these note receivables resulted in non-cash compensation expense to the related parties for the year ended December 31, 2021. The Company agreed to reimburse the related parties for their portion of income taxes related to the non-cash compensation. As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the balance owed to the related parties was $280,801 and $278,771, respectively.

In connection with the PSA, a named executive officer of the Company granted the Lender a security interest in certain personal property owned by the named executive officer to further secure the Company's obligations under the PSA. See further discussion at Note 9. As consideration for granting the security interest to the Lender, the Company agreed to pay the name executive officer a fee of $100,000 and reimbursement of out of pocket expenses. The balance owed to the name executive officer as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 was $0 and $100,000, respectively.