Investor Relations Whitepaper, August 2021 RENEE WEI, HEAD OF INVESTOR RELATIONS IR@MENE.COM
Introduction Menē’s mission is to restore the link between jewelry and savings. We design, manufacture, and retail 24 karat gold and platinum jewelry that is transparently sold by gram weight. Cherished by tens of thousands of customers worldwide, Menē jewelry not only delights aesthetically, but also provides compelling long-term investment value. Menē was founded by Roy Sebag and Diana W. Picasso and its stock trades on the Toronto Venture Exchange and the U.S. market under symbols: (TSXV:MENE, US:MENEF).
Security Information
Menē Inc. Class B Shares
Following a golden rule of only using ultra-pure 24 karat gold and pricing it to the value of the market without adding a big margin for design, … Menē is revolutionizing the gold business.
Stock Security Listing
Toronto Stock Exchange (Canada) ISIN Code
CA58680T1012 Stock Symbols
TSXV: MENE US: MENEF Industry
E-Commerce, Jewelry, Precious Metal Capitalization (USD)
Just as transparency has become a hot topic in fashion, … Menē, a new jewelry brand, has pared jewelry back to its elements and aligned prices with weight.
$173 Million Latest Investor Presentation
https://mene.com/investors/docs/ Investor_Presentation.pdf Competitors and Valuations (USD)
Tiffany & Co. ($13 Billion) Pandora ($9.5 Billion) Chow Tai Fook ($9.5 Billion) Signet Jewelers ($6.5 Billion)
Large Global Market Ripe for Disruption
Unique Business Model
Gold jewelry accounts for around 60% of the global gold demand. Each day, nearly $1 billion worth of jewelry is purchased as a token of love or remembrance, or as a form of personal expression. Like any other industry, jewelry is increasingly being purchased online. Research firm Technavio estimates that internet sales of jewelry is expected to exceed $30 billion a year by 2021.
Our business model is supported by four principles that are completely at odds with the modern jewelry industry:
Unlike the vibrant and long-established jewelry industry in the East, where $100 billion of high-karat jewelry is sold transparently by gram weight each year, an average item of jewelry sold by western brands loses 80% to 90% of its value at the time of purchase. The Western Jewelry industry is extremely consolidated. The two largest incumbents, Tiffany & Co. (NYSE:TIF) and Pandora (US:PANDY) represent almost 10% of the total market share and have a combined valuation of $25 billion on the stock market.
Menē, The Name The philosophy driving our business model is the restoration of the historic 24 karat gold and platinum jewelry standard which originated in ancient Mesopotamia. The word Menē (pronounced “men-NEY”) is an ancient Aramaic word, meaning a unit of gold which functioned as money for 4,000 years.
1. We are the first jewelry brand to sell only 24 karat gold and platinum jewelry without diamonds, alloys, or anything else which may confuse consumers about the true weighted value of the jewelry. 2. We are the only jewelry company in the world that prices our jewelry by gram weight while transparently disclosing our profit margins. 3. We keep our profit margin at roughly 30%, which means that the majority of the purchase price for each piece of jewelry is preserved as a long-term investment in gold or platinum. 4. We are the only jewelry company that stands by our product with a lifetime buyback program. Our customers may sell their Menē jewelry back at any time at the prevailing market prices for precious metals.
More than a Jewelry Brand We are disrupting the western jewelry market with a unique concept of “investment jewelry”. Like a share of stock, a piece of real estate, or artwork, Menē jewelry has an objective, weighted value which can be easily calculated at any moment. This also means that Menē jewelry lasts forever as a store of enduring value and can even appreciate with the price of precious metals.
Menē at a Glance
100%
75%
DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER
INSIDER OWNERSHIP
67%
62%
Y-O-Y REVENUE GROWTH IN Q2 2021
SALES TO RETURNING CUSTOMERS
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Loyal and Growing Customer Base Our customer base is highly diverse in terms of geography and demographics. In less than two years since our launch, we have sold jewelry to customers in 50 U.S. States, 10 Canadian provinces, and more than 60 countries all without a single physical store. We are proud of the fact that the jewelry we have sold to our customers is worth more today than at the time of original purchase.
2018
2019
We’re re-introducing transparent standards to western jewelry customers. Our proprietary technology values each Menē jewelry in real time based on a formula that multiplies the weight of the jewelry piece by prevailing market prices of gold or platinum. We also openly display our profit margin on each item, clearly showing the gold or platinum value inherent in each piece of jewelry as well as the Menē fee.
2020
We transparently share our sales activity and customer demographics in real-time and this data shows that our earliest customers have generated more than 20% total return on their Investment Jewelry. 62% of our total sales are attributed to returning customers during our most recent reported fiscal quarter. More than 23,900 verified reviews are registered on our website. Here is just a small sampling of these independent reviews:
Authentic Brand, Designs By Picasso And Moon While our business model is inspired by the Eastern jewelry market, we are a western brand with modern designs that appeal to the modern consumer including across all demographic segments. Our world-class design team is based in Paris, France and is headed by our co-founder, Diana W. Picasso (the granddaughter We’re re-introducing of Pablo Picasso) transparent standards and Sunjoo Moon to western jewelry (an alumna of the Louis Vuitton Group, customers. Missoni, and Kenzo).
A Vertically Integrated Powerhouse Menē is 100% vertically integrated from technology, design, manufacturing, fulfilment centre, to marketing, direct-to-consumer sales, and customer support. This strategy not only gives us powerful economics and in-dept expertise that is difficult to replicate, but also allows us to provide bespoke customer service deepening our global customer relationships.
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Relationship With Goldmoney (TSX:XAU) Goldmoney (TSX:XAU) is one of the largest custodians of precious metals in the world and looks after nearly $3 billion of physical gold, silver, platinum and palladium. Goldmoney owns around 34.5% of Menē. This access to physical metals allows us to produce jewelry collections on the U.S. soil, charge a roughly 30% premium, and still earn a profit.
led by the $60 billion investment bank Canaccord Genuity, which secured up to $130 million in growth capital for Menē Inc. to build its inventory and grow its business in the years to come. With 75% of the company held by insiders, Menē Inc. is focused on delivering long-term value for both customers and shareholders.
OTHERS
$400 Gold Value $100 Other Costs
$400 Other Costs $100 Gold Value
This kind of split between precious metal value and profit would be non-economical for almost all existing jewelry brands that are used to earning around 80-90% above their raw material costs in terms of profit margin. And yet, for us, this becomes an additional long-term differentiator: Unlike other jewelry brands that have to mark down old inventory or come up with new designs to stimulate sales, Menē never suffers from the risk that its inventory would lose value. In fact, it’s quite the opposite – we are essentially always invested in 24 karat gold and platinum secured at our insured vault facility until the moment a customer decides to purchase a piece online.
Why Invest Menē Inc. (TSXV: MENE, OTC: MENEF) is a uniquely positioned company that is disrupting the global jewelry industry. We are offering a revolutionary new way to think about jewelry, changing the current paradigm which has dominated the industry for the past half-century. With each day that passes, our brand builds lasting Menē jewelry relationships with a global has an objective, base of passionate and loyal weighted value. customers without the need for physical stores or heavy overhead. Menē is well-funded with an underwritten funding round
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Financial Overview
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Financial Overview
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Additional Information and Links Relating to Menē Inc. as of June 2021
Company Founders
Corporate Profile
E&Y entrepreneur of the year nominee, founder of three publicly traded companies that have raised over $100 million of institutional equity funding and have created over $500 million of equity value for investors since 2015. Learn More
Menē crafts pure 24 karat gold and platinum jewelry that is transparently sold by gram weight. Through Mene. com customers may buy jewelry, monitor the value of their collection over time, and sell or exchange their pieces by gram weight at prevailing market prices. Menē was founded by Roy Sebag and Diana W. Picasso with a mission to restore the relationship between jewelry and savings. Menē empowers consumers by marrying innovative technology, timeless design, and pure precious metals to create pieces which endure as a store of value.
Operations and Business Locations Corporate HQ Toronto, Canada
Manufacturing and Fulfillment New Jersey, USA
Design Paris, France
Website
Roy Sebag
Diana W. Picasso Noted art curator, historian, and granddaughter of the late artist Pablo Picasso. Learn More
Anja Rubik International supermodel, face of Saint Laurent, philanthropist, and political activist. Learn More
Funding (August 2016) Seed Funding $5 million Roy Sebag, Diana Picasso, Anja Rubik, and Goldmoney Inc. (TSX: XAU)
(November 2017) Series A Funding $13 million Wellington Management, US Global Funds, and leading institutional asset managers from the U.S. and Europe. Read More
https://mene.com
(November 6, 2018) Spinout and Public Listing
Design Catalog
Menē Inc. was spun-out into its own independent public company on the TSX Exchange. Read More
https://issuu.com/mene24k/docs/mene-design-book-ii
Independent Customer Reviews https://mene.com/reviews
Recommended Videos Roy Sebag: 30 minute Interview with Menē 24K Founder Roy Sebag, Kitco News Anja Rubik and Diana Picasso: Menē Store of Enduring Value Campaign Video Diana Picasso: About Menē Campaign Video
(November 29, 2018) Underwritten funding round led by Canaccord Genuity secured up to $130 million in growth capital. Read More
Key Figures and Performance Indicators 73% of company is owned by Roy Sebag, Diana Picasso, and Goldmoney Inc. (TSX: XAU) First Operating Income achieved in less than three years after official launch >80,000 units sold to customers in over 60 countries >$1,530 in Average Order Value during most recent quarter
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Recent Notable Press Coverage New York Times Jewelry Worth its Grams in Gold
Tina Isaac-Goize Forbes Picasso’ Gold: The Art of Investing in Gold Jewelry
Karl Kaufman The Street Jewelry Industry Disruptor, Mene, Goes Public; Takes On Pandora, Tiffany & Co.
Daniela Cambone The Globe and Mail Upstart Jeweller Makes Wearable Investments
Shirley Won The Toronto Star Picasso’s granddaughter is a woman rarely seated
Shinan Govani CNBC Wearing your wealth: A different way to invest in gold
Interview Magazine Menē is the jewelry collection quite literally worth its weight in gold
Jane Gayduk Vogue How Menē is revolutionizing the gold business
Ann-Sophie Mallard The Jewelry Post With Menē, Roy Sebag combines jewelry with investment
Sandrine Merle Elle Magazine Brands that are changing the way you shop for fine jewelry online
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Forward-Looking Statements This document contains certain “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws that are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of the publication of this page.
estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking information other than as required by law.
Any statements that involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as “expects”, or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, “plans”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “forecasts”, “estimates”, “believes” or “intends” or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results “may” or “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking information and are intended to identify forward-looking information. This forward-looking information is based on reasonable assumptions and estimates of management of the Company at the time it was made, and involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others, the global economic climate; dilution; the Company’s limited operating history; future capital needs and uncertainty of additional financing; the competitive nature of the industry; currency exchange risks; the need for the Company to manage its planned growth and expansion; the effects of product development and need for continued technology and manufacturing change; protection of proprietary rights; the effect of government regulation and compliance on the Company and the industry; network security risks; the ability of the Company to maintain properly working systems; theft and risk of physical harm to personnel; reliance on key personnel; global economic and financial market deterioration impeding access to capital or increasing the cost of capital; and volatile securities markets impacting security pricing unrelated to operating performance. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated,
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