Swiss Water raises $25M from BDC and FCC, amends Mill Road debenture agreement

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By CPE News

CPE News (5/25/2021) – Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffee Inc. (TSX: SWP) has amended the existing senior debt facility with its senior lender, Business Development Bank of Canada, with participation by a new lender, Farm Credit Canada, which would provide Swiss Water with up to an additional $25 million of senior debt financing at an interest rate of approximately four percent per annum and a favourable payment and amortization schedule by increasing the senior debt facility to $45 million from the current $20 million.

In order to obtain the new financing, Swiss Water requires an amendment to an existing, outstanding convertible debenture issued to Mill Road Capital II, L.P.. The terms of the Mill Road Debenture include a restrictive covenant that limits the dollar amount of indebtedness ranking senior to the indebtedness thereunder to a maximum of $45 million.

Swiss Water has reached an agreement with Mill Road to amend the restrictive covenant to increase the restriction on senior indebtedness to a maximum of $60 million, and will extend the maturity date of the Mill Road debenture by one year, to October 31, 2024.

In return, the terms of the Mill Road debenture would be amended to (i) increase the maximum current interest rate from 7.85% to 9%, (ii) provide an additional 1.5% “payment in kind” interest, (iii) amend the conversion feature by (A) cancelling the existing conversion feature and (B) replacing the existing conversion feature with warrants to allow Mill Road to purchase up to 2.25 million common shares at a price of $3.33 per share (representing a premium of 10% over the closing price on the date of execution of the Term Sheet); (iv) provide for a $100,000 amendment fee payable to Mill Road, (v) remove a restriction limiting Mill Road’s holdings, following conversion, to a maximum of 19.99% of the issued and outstanding shares of Siwss Water; and (vi) reimburse Mill Road for its associated legal expenses.

Swiss Water will seek shareholder approval of the Mill Road amendment at tits upcoming Annual General and Special Meeting of Shareholders, to be held on June 25, 2021. The Mill Road amendment is also subject to the approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange.

On October 11, 2016, Mill Road provided $15,000,000 in unsecured subordinated convertible debenture funding to Swiss Water, then known as Ten Peaks Coffee Company Inc. The convertible debenture has a maturity date of October 11, 2023 and bears interest at a rate of 6.85% over its 7-year term and the outstanding principal amount is convertible into Common Shares at a conversion price of $8.25 per share.

photo credit: Swiss Water

News Release

Swiss Water Announces $25 Million Financing for the Construction of Its Second Line of Production (Titan 2) at Its Delta, BC Facility

May 24, 2021 23:30 ET | Source: Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffee Inc.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 24, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffee Inc. (TSX – SWP) (“Swiss Water” or “the Company”) is pleased to announce an amendment to the existing senior debt facility with the Company’s senior lender, Business Development Bank of Canada, with participation by a new lender, Farm Credit Canada, which would provide the Company with up to an additional $25 million of senior debt financing at an interest rate of approximately four percent per annum and a favourable payment and amortization schedule by increasing the senior debt facility to $45 million from the current $20 million (the “Amended Senior Facility”).

The incremental funds available under the Amended Senior Facility, together with the Company’s existing available credit and projected internally generated cash flow, are anticipated to be sufficient to fund the completion of the Company’s Titan 2 production facility.

In order to obtain the new financing, the Company requires an amendment to an existing, outstanding convertible debenture (the “Mill Road Debenture”) of the Company issued to Mill Road Capital II, L.P. (“Mill Road”). The terms of the Mill Road Debenture include a restrictive covenant that limits the dollar amount of indebtedness ranking senior to the indebtedness thereunder to a maximum of $45 million.

The Company and Mill Road agreed on terms and executed a term sheet on May 20, 2021 (the “Term Sheet”) under which Mill Road would amend the restrictive covenant to increase the restriction on senior indebtedness to a maximum of $60 million, and would extend the maturity date of the Mill Road Debenture by one year, to October 31, 2024. In return, the terms of the Mill Road Debenture would be amended to (i) increase the maximum current interest rate from 7.85% to 9%, (ii) provide an additional 1.5% “payment in kind” interest, (iii) amend the conversion feature by (A) cancelling the existing conversion feature and (B) replacing the existing conversion feature with warrants to allow Mill Road to purchase up to 2.25 million common shares at a price of $3.33 per share (representing a premium of 10% over the closing price on the date of execution of the Term Sheet); (iv) provide for a $100,000 amendment fee payable to Mill Road, (v) remove a restriction limiting Mill Road’s holdings, following conversion, to a maximum of 19.99% of the issued and outstanding shares of the Company; and (vi) reimburse Mill Road for its associated legal expenses (the “Mill Road Amendment”).

The Mill Road Amendment is considered to be a related party transaction under the provisions of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Securityholders in Special Transactions and is subject to the approval of the Company’s Shareholders, other than Mill Road.

The Company will seek shareholder approval of the Mill Road Amendment at the Company’s upcoming Annual General and Special Meeting of Shareholders, to be held on June 25, 2021. The Mill Road Amendment is also subject to the approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange.

Iain Carswell, Swiss Water’s CFO commented “We are pleased to have secured the necessary financing to not only maintain our existing business, but materially increase our capacity to meet the growing demand for our Swiss Water chemical-free decaffeinated coffee.” Don Tringali, Swiss Water’s Chairman added, “This financing package is the product of an extensive review of all financing alternatives over the past six months undertaken in conjunction with an independent financial advisor. I would like to thank Iain as well as several of my fellow board members for their work and the substantial time devoted to negotiating the best possible deal for the Company.”

Full details of the Mill Road Amendment, including the analysis and deliberations of the Company’s directors and the directors’ recommendation to shareholders, will be set out in the Company’s Management Information Circular, which is expected to be sent to shareholders on or about May 31, 2021.

Company Profile

Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffee Inc. is a leading specialty coffee company and a premium green coffee decaffeinator which employs the proprietary SWISS WATER® Process to decaffeinate green coffee without the use of chemicals. It also owns Seaforth Supply Chain Solutions, a green coffee handling and storage business. Both businesses are located in the cities of Burnaby and Delta, British Columbia.

For more information, please contact:

Iain Carswell, Chief Financial Officer
Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffee Inc.
Phone: 604.420.4050
Email: investor-relations@swisswater.com
Website: investor.swisswater.com