Happy Belly Food Group's Heal Wellness QSR Announces the Signing of a Multi Unit Franchise Agreement for 5 Stores on Vancouver Island, British Columbia

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 17, 2025) - Happy Belly Food Group Inc. (CSE: HBFG) (OTCQB: HBFGF) ("Happy Belly" or the "Company"), a leader in acquiring and scaling emerging food brands across Canada is pleased to announce that as of June 16^th, it has signed a five (5) store franchise agreement for Vancouver Island, in the province of British Columbia ("BC"). The franchisee is an experienced multi-unit operator who currently owns and operates all the existing Heals in BC's lower mainland. Heal Wellness ("Heal") is a quick-service restaurant ("QSR") brand specializing in fresh smoothie bowls, açaí bowls, and smoothies.

HEAL Wellness 1

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"We have been looking at Vancouver Island for some time now as its demographics perfectly align with the clean, healthy yet convenient products Heal Wellness has to offer its customers," said Sean Black, Chief Executive Officer. "We are seeing a growing number of our franchise partners evolve into multi-unit operators across the Happy Belly portfolio-an exciting validation of our business model. This evolution not only reflects the confidence our partners have in our emerging brands but also enables us to scale rapidly with trusted operators. Their continued success strengthens our national footprint and accelerates our reach across key Canadian markets. As Heal Wellness quickly becomes Canada's first true coast-to-coast smoothie bowl brand, these strong partnerships and our dependable franchise support system are key drivers behind our expanding presence."

HEAL Wellness 2

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"Vancouver Island has a strong health-conscious population, active outdoor lifestyle, and thriving tourism industry. The region attracts residents and visitors who value fresh, nutritious, and on-the-go food options-making it a natural fit for our Heal brand as our products are focused on wellness and clean eating. From surf towns like Tofino to bustling hubs like Victoria and Nanaimo, the island boasts vibrant communities that embrace local businesses. With year-round outdoor activities like hiking, cycling, and beachgoing, demand for refreshing, energizing food options remains consistent. Vancouver Island's unique mix of laid-back coastal culture and wellness-driven consumers creates a prime market for our smoothie and açaí bowl concept to thrive."

"As we enter the second half of 2025, our focus remains on accelerating growth through organic development and targeted acquisitions. With a growing pipeline of restaurants across Canada, we expect to announce new projects in the coming months as we secure additional franchise partnerships and premium real estate. These efforts mark meaningful progress toward our goal of building a disciplined, scalable growth platform. Happy Belly currently has 551 contractually committed retail franchise locations-spanning planning, construction, and operational-and we continue to expand this pipeline into 2025 and 2026 by aligning with the right partners and sites."

We are just getting started.

About Heal Wellness
Heal Wellness was founded with a passion and mission to provide quick, fresh wellness foods that support a busy and active lifestyle. We currently offer a diverse range of smoothie bowls and smoothies. We take pride in meticulously selecting every superfood ingredient on our menu to fuel the body, including acai smoothie bowls, smoothies, and super-seed grain bowls. Our smoothie bowls are crafted with real fruit and enriched with superfoods like acai, pitaya, goji berries, chia seeds, and more.

Franchising
For franchising inquiries please see www.happybellyfg.com/franchise-with-us/ or contact us at [email protected].

About Happy Belly Food Group
Happy Belly Food Group Inc. (CSE: HBFG) (OTCQB: HBFGF) ("Happy Belly" or the "Company") is a leader in acquiring and scaling emerging food brands across Caasdnada.

Happy Belly Food Group

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Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release, which has been prepared by management.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking information" with respect to the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-Looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur and include the future performance of Happy Belly and her subsidiaries. Forward-Looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements. There are uncertainties inherent in forward-looking information, including factors beyond the Company's control. There are no assurances that the business plans for Happy Belly described in this news release will come into effect on the terms or time frame described herein. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. For a description of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company and its business and affairs, readers should refer to the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis and other disclosure filings with Canadian securities regulators, which are posted on www.sedarplus.ca.

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