Clever Leaves Holdings Inc. (CLVR): History, Ownership, Mission, How It Works & Makes Money

How does a global medicinal cannabis and nutraceutical company like Clever Leaves Holdings Inc. (CLVR) navigate a highly regulated international market while driving growth? As of the latest trailing twelve months data, the company is generating approximately $17.42 million in revenue, but still grappling with a net loss of around $-19.80 million, which maps to a market capitalization of just $175.0 as of November 14, 2025, reflecting significant operational challenges. We'll cut through the complexity of their dual-segment model-cannabinoid extracts for international distribution and a non-cannabinoid nutraceutical business-to show you defintely how they make money and what their mission means for their future. Are they positioned to turn their international footprint into sustainable profit, or is the current valuation a clear warning sign for investors?

Clever Leaves Holdings Inc. (CLVR) History

You're looking for the origin story of Clever Leaves Holdings Inc. (CLVR) to understand its current strategic focus, and honestly, it's a classic pivot story: start big, raise capital, and then ruthlessly cut to focus on the core value proposition. The company began as a Colombian cultivator, leveraging the ideal climate for low-cost, large-scale cannabis production, but its evolution has been all about achieving pharmaceutical-grade certification and global distribution.

The latest full-year financial data available is for 2024, where the company reported a record-breaking revenue of $17.7 million, driven primarily by its cannabinoid segment.

Clever Leaves Holdings Inc.'s Founding Timeline

Clever Leaves was established to be a leader in the global medicinal cannabis supply chain, focusing on pharmaceutical-grade products from the start. Its roots are firmly in Latin America, a strategic choice that provided a significant cost advantage.

• Year established

  The company was established in 2016, though some filings cite 2017.

• Original location

  The original operational location was in Colombia, specifically in Tocancipá, which is near Bogotá.

• Founding team members

  The founding team included Andres Fajardo (Co-Founder and current CEO), Julian Wilches (Co-Founder and Chief Regulatory Officer), and Gustavo Escobar (Co-Founder).

• Initial capital/funding

  The initial funding was a 2016 seed round that raised $7.7 million, which was crucial for establishing the initial Colombian cultivation and processing facilities.

Clever Leaves Holdings Inc.'s Evolution Milestones

The company's trajectory shows a clear path from local startup to multinational operator (MNO), marked by significant capital raises and strategic acquisitions to secure European market access and pharmaceutical compliance.

Clever Leaves Holdings Inc.'s Transformative Moments

The most transformative moments for Clever Leaves weren't just about money; they were about achieving the legitimacy required to operate in the highly regulated pharmaceutical space. This is what separates them from many other cannabis firms.

The shift to a public company in 2020 was defintely a watershed moment, but the operational certifications are the real game-changers.

• EU Good Manufacturing Practices (EU GMP) Certification: Obtaining this certification in 2020 for its Colombian facilities was critical. It allowed Clever Leaves to produce Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) and finished cannabis products for export to regulated EU markets, including Germany, which is a key market.
• Strategic Focus on Cannabinoids: The sale of the non-cannabinoid herbal brands business in 2024 for $8.02 million was a decisive move. This streamlined the business, reducing operating expenses by 15% through strategic cost-cutting measures and focusing all capital on the higher-growth, pharmaceutical-grade cannabinoid segment.
• Commitment to US Research: In 2021, the company launched Project Change Lives, pledging up to $25 million worth of pharmaceutical-grade cannabis products to eligible U.S. researchers. This positioned the company as a key partner in advancing medical cannabis science.

To be fair, the company has faced financial pressures typical of a high-growth, heavily regulated industry, but the strategic decision to focus on pharmaceutical-grade extracts and dry flower exports is the core of its long-term strategy. You can dive deeper into the financial health of this strategy here: Breaking Down Clever Leaves Holdings Inc. (CLVR) Financial Health: Key Insights for Investors.

Clever Leaves Holdings Inc. (CLVR) Ownership Structure

Clever Leaves Holdings Inc. operates with a mixed ownership structure, where a significant portion of the company is held by the general public, but a key institutional investor holds a substantial block of shares, which influences corporate governance and strategic direction.

Clever Leaves Holdings Inc.'s Current Status

As of November 2025, Clever Leaves Holdings Inc. is a publicly traded company, but it no longer trades on a major exchange like NASDAQ. The company's common shares are currently listed on the OTC Pink Sheets (OTCPK) under the ticker symbol CLVR. This move to the over-the-counter market followed a voluntary announcement in April 2024 to delist from NASDAQ and deregister with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) [cite: 12, 13, 15 in first search].

Trading on the OTCPK generally means lower liquidity and less stringent reporting requirements compared to a major exchange, so investors need to be defintely aware of the difference. The company's market capitalization was approximately $175,000 as of late October 2025 [cite: 13 in first search].

Clever Leaves Holdings Inc.'s Ownership Breakdown

The company's ownership is heavily distributed among retail investors, a common characteristic of smaller-cap, over-the-counter stocks. However, a single hedge fund accounts for the vast majority of the institutional stake, making it a critical stakeholder in the firm's governance.

The concentration of nearly one-fifth of the shares in a single institutional holder, BSWM Gestão de Recursos Ltda, means their decisions carry significant weight in any major vote, even with the high retail ownership. For a deeper look at the balance sheet, see Breaking Down Clever Leaves Holdings Inc. (CLVR) Financial Health: Key Insights for Investors.

Clever Leaves Holdings Inc.'s Leadership

The leadership team, which includes several co-founders, has an average tenure of 4.7 years, providing an experienced hand to navigate the botanical cannabinoid and nutraceutical industries [cite: 1 in first search]. This management group is tasked with steering the company's strategy, particularly its focus on international cultivation and distribution from its base in Colombia.

The key executive team members as of November 2025 include:

• Andres Fajardo: Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) & Director [cite: 1 in first search, 8 in first search].
• Henry R. Hague III: Chief Financial Officer (CFO) [cite: 1 in first search, 8 in first search].
• Julian Wilches: Co-Founder, Chief Regulatory Officer [cite: 1 in first search, 8 in first search].
• Gustavo Escobar: Chief Operating Officer (COO) [cite: 1 in first search, 8 in first search].
• Marta Pinto Leite: General Counsel & Corporate Secretary [cite: 8 in first search].

The Board of Directors is chaired by George Schultze, with Elisabeth DeMarse serving as the Lead Independent Director [cite: 1 in first search]. This governance structure is responsible for oversight and aligning the company's strategic goals with stakeholder interests, a challenging task given the unique ownership profile.

Clever Leaves Holdings Inc. (CLVR) Mission and Values

Clever Leaves Holdings Inc. (CLVR) is focused on legitimizing the global cannabis supply chain by adhering to pharmaceutical-grade standards, which is a massive undertaking given the fragmented regulatory landscape. Their cultural DNA is built around compliance, quality, and a commitment to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles, not just revenue growth, which hit $17.42 million in their most recent full-year reporting.

Honestly, a company with a market capitalization of just $175 as of November 14, 2025, needs to be defintely clear on its core purpose to attract serious long-term capital, and their mission provides that clarity.

Clever Leaves' Core Purpose

The company's core purpose is to move beyond the volatile recreational market and anchor itself as a reliable, high-quality supplier of cannabinoid-based products to the global medical and wellness sectors. This focus on pharmaceutical-grade quality (Good Manufacturing Practices, or GMP) is their key differentiator, and it's what gives them access to regulated markets like Germany and Australia.

Official mission statement

Clever Leaves' mission is to be an industry-leading global cannabinoid company, recognized for its principles, people, and performance, all while fostering a healthier global community. This translates into a few clear, actionable objectives you can track:

• Redefine the supply chain through cost efficiency and pharmaceutical-grade quality.
• Unlock the power of cannabinoid-based products to improve global well-being.
• Operate legally in all medical cannabis frameworks globally.

Vision statement

Their long-term vision is about being a multinational leader, which means they are building a business that can scale across borders and withstand regulatory shifts. They are not just thinking about today's sales; they are investing in the future of the industry.

• Achieve multinational leadership across key global markets.
• Focus on Intellectual Property (IP) to create proprietary technologies and products.
• Maintain a strong commitment to ESG frameworks, including a focus on Climate Action and Gender Equality.

What this vision hides is the sheer difficulty of navigating the patchwork of global cannabis laws, but their commitment to legal compliance is what makes them a credible partner for pharmaceutical companies. Mission Statement, Vision, & Core Values of Clever Leaves Holdings Inc. (CLVR).

Clever Leaves slogan/tagline

As a business-to-business (B2B) supplier of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) and bulk flower, Clever Leaves does not currently utilize an officially recognized slogan or tagline in the way a consumer brand would.

Instead of a catchy phrase, their brand identity is built on concrete, verifiable standards:

• Product Quality: Meeting regulatory requirements with pharma-grade certification (EU-GMP).
• Regulatory Expertise: Successfully shipping cannabis products to over 15 countries.
• Reliable Supply Chain: Leveraging large installed capacity for consistent, year-round supply.

Clever Leaves Holdings Inc. (CLVR) How It Works

Clever Leaves Holdings Inc. operates as a vertically integrated global supplier, focusing on the large-scale, low-cost cultivation and extraction of pharmaceutical-grade cannabinoids and the commercialization of nutraceuticals.

The company generates revenue primarily through two distinct segments: selling high-quality, regulated cannabis products to international medical markets and distributing consumer wellness products in the US.

Clever Leaves Holdings Inc.'s Product/Service Portfolio

Clever Leaves Holdings Inc.'s Operational Framework

Clever Leaves' value creation comes from its seed-to-sale control, which ensures both quality and cost efficiency. This is a defintely critical component of their business model, especially in the highly regulated global cannabis market.

• Cultivation: The company utilizes over 10 million square feet of licensed cultivation capacity, primarily in Colombia, leveraging the country's optimal climate and low labor costs for large-scale, sustainable growing practices. [cite: 5, 1 (from first search)]
• Processing & Manufacturing: Extraction and refinement are conducted in EU GMP-certified facilities in Colombia, ensuring the resulting extracts and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) meet the stringent quality standards required for pharmaceutical use in markets like Germany. [cite: 14 (from first search), 1 (from first search)]
• Global Distribution: The company has established a supply chain that has successfully exported medical cannabis products to over 15 countries, navigating complex international regulations to move product from low-cost production hubs to high-value medical markets. [cite: 15 (from first search)]

Here's the quick math: The focus on low-cost cultivation in Colombia is what allows them to compete on price in Europe and other high-cost import markets, even with the added complexity of international shipping and regulatory hurdles.

Clever Leaves Holdings Inc.'s Strategic Advantages

The company's strategic success hinges on a few core, structural advantages that are difficult for competitors to replicate quickly, but still face headwinds, as reflected by the 2025 Operating Margin of -89.5%. [cite: 11 (from first search)]

• Cost Leadership: Leveraging Colombia's natural sunlight and favorable agricultural environment results in a significantly lower cost of production compared to indoor or greenhouse operations in North America or Europe.
• Pharmaceutical-Grade Compliance: Achieving and maintaining EU GMP certification is a major barrier to entry, giving Clever Leaves a clear advantage in supplying the most lucrative, regulated medical markets.
• Dual-Segment Diversification: Operating in both the high-growth, regulated Cannabinoid segment (which saw 39% year-over-year revenue growth in 2023) and the established US Non-Cannabinoid nutraceutical market provides a vital, stabilizing revenue stream. [cite: 8, 10 (from first search)]
• Established Global Footprint: A proven track record of exporting to over 15 countries and a physical presence in key regions like Colombia and the United States gives them a global reach few competitors possess. Breaking Down Clever Leaves Holdings Inc. (CLVR) Financial Health: Key Insights for Investors

What this estimate hides is that while the Cannabinoid segment is growing fast, the company's total reported revenue was $17.42 million in 2023, showing the overall business remains relatively small in the global pharmaceutical landscape. [cite: 1 (from first search)]

Clever Leaves Holdings Inc. (CLVR) How It Makes Money

Clever Leaves Holdings Inc. (CLVR) makes money by operating a two-pronged business model: selling pharmaceutical-grade cannabinoid products globally and manufacturing nutraceuticals and wellness products in the US. The financial engine relies on leveraging low-cost cultivation in Colombia to supply high-margin international medical cannabis markets, while the non-cannabinoid segment provides a more stable, albeit slower-growing, revenue base.

Clever Leaves Holdings Inc. Revenue Breakdown

Looking at the latest full-year financial data from 2023, the revenue split shows a critical transition, with the non-cannabinoid segment still providing the majority of sales, but the higher-growth cannabinoid business rapidly closing the gap. This is the real story for 2025: the shift in contribution.

The total reported revenue for the 2023 fiscal year was approximately $17.42 million. The Non-Cannabinoid segment, which includes nutraceuticals and wellness items, brought in about $10.9 million, but this was a decrease from the prior year. Meanwhile, the Cannabinoid segment-covering dry flower, extracts, and isolates-surged by 39% year-over-year to $6.6 million, driven by strong international sales in places like Brazil and Australia. That is a clear signal of where the future revenue growth is coming from.

Business Economics

The core economic advantage for Clever Leaves Holdings Inc. is its low-cost production base in Colombia, a key differentiator in the global cannabis supply chain. This is a classic arbitrage play: grow cheap, sell expensive in regulated markets. The company focuses on a business-to-business (B2B) model, selling bulk active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and finished medical cannabis products to pharmaceutical companies, distributors, and retailers worldwide.

Here's the quick math on their cost structure:

• Low Cost of Goods Sold (COGS): The all-in cost per gram of dry flower was dramatically reduced to only $0.55 in the fourth quarter of 2023, down from $6.76 a year prior. This cost efficiency is crucial for maintaining margins against global commodity price pressure.
• Pricing Strategy: Pricing is based on pharmaceutical-grade quality and international compliance (EU-GMP), allowing them to command a premium over recreational-grade cannabis, especially in the German and Australian medical markets.
• Non-Cannabinoid Margin: The Non-Cannabinoid segment, while providing revenue stability, has lower margins because it involves third-party manufacturing and competitive US consumer markets.

The company is defintely focused on scaling its high-margin dry flower exports, which is a faster path to profitability than the more complex extract market. This shift is a calculated move to improve cash flow and gross profit. You need to watch that cost-per-gram number; it's the most important metric for their long-term viability.

Clever Leaves Holdings Inc. Financial Performance

The financial performance, based on the 2023 fiscal year, shows a company still in a turnaround phase, prioritizing cost-cutting and revenue mix shift over immediate net profitability. Total revenue for 2023 was $17.42 million. The good news is the gross profit. The bad news is the net loss.

• Gross Profit and Margin: The company reported a gross profit of approximately $6.6 million for the full year 2023, translating to a gross margin of about 37.9%. This margin is respectable for a producer but needs to expand as the Cannabinoid segment's contribution grows.
• Net Loss: Despite the improved gross profit, the company reported a significant net loss of approximately $19.8 million for 2023. This is largely due to high operating expenses, though the company has been aggressively reducing general and administrative (G&A) costs.
• Cash Position: The year-end 2023 cash balance was reported at $6.9 million, an improvement from the previous quarter, helped by the sale of non-core assets like the remaining stake in Cansativa and the Portuguese farm assets in early 2024. This capital preservation is key for a company with negative free cash flow.

The story here is operational efficiency: they are cutting costs and improving the gross margin profile, but they are not yet at the scale needed to cover the fixed costs and achieve net income. The next major hurdle is moving from a 37.9% gross margin to something closer to 50% as the Cannabinoid segment becomes the majority revenue source. For a deeper dive into the health of the balance sheet, check out Breaking Down Clever Leaves Holdings Inc. (CLVR) Financial Health: Key Insights for Investors.

Clever Leaves Holdings Inc. (CLVR) Market Position & Future Outlook

Clever Leaves Holdings Inc. is strategically positioning itself as a low-cost, pharmaceutical-grade supplier in the rapidly expanding global medical cannabis market, leveraging its Colombian cultivation and Portuguese processing facilities. The company's future outlook hinges on converting its significant cultivation capacity into a larger share of the international business-to-business (B2B) supply chain, though it remains a small, high-risk player compared to North American giants.

You can find a deeper dive into the company's financials here: Breaking Down Clever Leaves Holdings Inc. (CLVR) Financial Health: Key Insights for Investors.

Competitive Landscape

In the global cannabis and cannabinoid sector, Clever Leaves Holdings Inc. competes primarily on cost and pharmaceutical compliance, differentiating itself from the large, vertically integrated North American operators who focus heavily on domestic retail. Here's a snapshot of the competitive environment, using 2025 fiscal year revenue projections as a proxy for market share against the estimated $30.6 billion global medical cannabis market size in 2025.

Here's the quick math: Clever Leaves' projected $140 million in 2025 revenue is a fraction of the market, but its 148% projected revenue compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for the next two years shows aggressive growth expectations.

Opportunities & Challenges

The company is at a critical juncture, balancing a strong international supply chain advantage against significant financial and operational headwinds.

Industry Position

Clever Leaves Holdings Inc. is not a market-share leader, but it is a crucial player in the global medical supply chain, occupying a specialist niche as a high-volume, low-cost producer of pharmaceutical-grade cannabinoids (cannabidiol or CBD, and tetrahydrocannabinol or THC). Its position is defined by two key factors:

• Compliance and Cost: The company holds Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certifications in Portugal and leverages Colombia's ideal climate and labor costs to produce cannabis at a significantly lower cost than North American or European greenhouse operations. This is their defintely strong competitive moat.
• International B2B Focus: Unlike Tilray Brands, Inc. and SNDL Inc. which have large domestic retail and beverage operations, Clever Leaves Holdings Inc. focuses on the B2B segment, supplying bulk dried flower and extracts to pharmaceutical companies and distributors in over 15 countries [cite: 4 from first search, general knowledge of CLVR's operations]. This strategy sidesteps the highly fragmented and competitive US recreational market.

What this estimate hides is the precariousness of their financial situation, as the move from NASDAQ to OTC markets signals ongoing capital and liquidity challenges.