Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 20, 2026) - Happy Belly Food Group Inc. (CSE: HBFG) (OTCQB: HBFGF) ("Happy Belly" or the "Company"), a leading consolidator of emerging restaurant brands, is pleased to announce that our multi-unit franchisee David Lamph has secured his 9th Heal location, located in the City of Waterloo, Ontario. This location further advances Heal's disciplined, asset-light growth strategy as the brand continues to expand across Ontario's high-growth urban and suburban markets. Heal Wellness is a fast-growing quick-service restaurant ("QSR") brand specializing in fresh smoothie bowls, açaí bowls, and smoothies, built around clean ingredients and a better-for-you lifestyle.

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"The securing of our newest location in the City of Waterloo reflects our continued focus on expanding Heal into strong, community-oriented markets with favourable demographics and high-traffic fundamentals," said Sean Black, Chief Executive Officer of Happy Belly Food Group. "Positioned between the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University, this location places Heal Wellness in the heart of one of Canada's most attractive student markets, with access to a dense, walkable customer base of students, faculty, staff, and young professionals."

With more than 41,000 full- and part-time students at the University of Waterloo and over 17,500 undergraduate and graduate students at Laurier's Waterloo campus, Heal Wellness will be located near approximately 58,500 students within the immediate university area. This demographic aligns strongly with the Heal Wellness concept, as today's students increasingly seek quick, healthy, customizable, and portable food options that support their active lifestyles. Our menu of açai bowls, smoothies, protein add-ons, fresh fruit, and wellness-focused offerings is designed to meet that demand.

Heal Wellness continues to gain momentum as consumer demand for wellness-focused QSR concepts accelerates across major Canadian cities. With a scalable format, strong unit economics, and an expanding network of experienced franchise partners, Heal is well positioned to deepen its presence across Ontario while expanding into additional Canadian and U.S. markets.

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"Heal Wellness continues to expand rapidly across Canada and into the United States, solidifying its position as a leading açaí and smoothie bowl brand. With 39 locations open and more than 169 in development, Heal contributes to Happy Belly's broader portfolio of 686 contractually committed retail franchise locations across multiple emerging brands in various stages of development, construction, and operation. Our predictable and disciplined growth engine continues to deliver measurable results as we expand our brands across Canada and the U.S. to create long-term value for our shareholders."

"We are just getting started", said Sean Black.

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 hello@happybellyfg.com.

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 Canada.

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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Source: Happy Belly Food Group Inc.