Form 8-K
8-K — Lifeway Foods, Inc.
Accession: 0001683168-26-003934
Filed: 2026-05-14
Period: 2026-05-14
CIK: 0000814586
SIC: 2020 (DAIRY PRODUCTS)
Item: Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement
Item: Other Events
Item: Financial Statements and Exhibits
Documents
8-K — lifeway_8k.htm (Primary)
EX-1.1 — UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT (lifeway_ex0101.htm)
EX-5.1 — OPINION (lifeway_ex0501.htm)
EX-99.1 — PRESS RELEASE DATED MAY 14, 2026 (lifeway_ex9901.htm)
GRAPHIC (image_001.jpg)
XML — IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT (R1.htm)
8-K — CURRENT REPORT
8-K (Primary)
Filename: lifeway_8k.htm · Sequence: 1
LIFEWAY FOODS, INC. 8-K
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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):
May 14, 2026
LIFEWAY FOODS, INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its
Charter)
ILLINOIS
000-17363
36-3442829
(State or
Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation)
(Commission
File Number)
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)
6431
West Oakton St. Morton
Grove, IL
60053
(Address of principal executive offices)
(Zip code)
Registrant’s telephone number, including
area code: (847) 967-1010
N/A
(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since
Last Report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended
to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
☐
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
☐
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
☐
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
☐
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each Class
Trading Symbol
Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, no par value
LWAY
The Nasdaq Stock Market
Preferred Stock Purchase Rights
None
The Nasdaq Stock Market
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth
company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§ 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 (§ 240.12b 2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company ☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant
has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant
to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Item 1.01. Entry into a Definitive Material Agreement.
Underwriting Agreement
On May 14, 2026, Lifeway Foods, Inc. (the “Company”) entered
into an underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with BTIG, LLC (the “Underwriter”) and Danone USA
Public Benefit Corporation (the “Selling Stockholder”) in connection with a public offering of an aggregate of 3,454,756 shares
(the “Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, no par value (the “Common Stock”), by the Selling Stockholder
at a price to the public of $19.50 per share (the “Offering”).
The Offering is being made pursuant to a shelf registration statement
on Form S-3 (No. 333-291148) that was previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and declared effective
by the SEC on December 10, 2025 and a prospectus supplement.
The closing of the Offering is expected to occur on or about May
19, 2026, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. The Company will not receive any proceeds from the Offering. The Company has agreed to repurchase approximately $5.0 million of the Shares in the Offering at the same per
share price to be paid by investors in the Offering (the “Share Repurchase”). The Offering is not conditioned upon the
completion of the Share Repurchase, but the share repurchase is conditioned upon the completion of the Offering.
BTIG, LLC is acting as sole underwriter for the Offering.
The foregoing description of the Underwriting Agreement does not purport
to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, and incorporate herein by reference, the full text thereof, a copy of
which is filed herewith as Exhibit 1.1.
Item 8.01. Other Events.
On May 14, 2026, the Company issued a press release announcing the
pricing of the Offering, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.
Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits:
Exhibit No.
Description
1.1
Underwriting Agreement dated May 14, 2026.
5.1
Opinion of Kelley Drye & Warren LLP regarding legality of securities being registered.
23.1
Consent of Kelley Drye & Warren LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).
99.1
Press Release dated May 14, 2026.
104
Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document).
2
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
LIFEWAY FOODS, INC.
Date: May 14, 2026
By:
/s/ Eric Hanson
Name:
Eric Hanson
Title:
Chief Financial and Accounting Officer
3
EX-1.1 — UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
EX-1.1
Filename: lifeway_ex0101.htm · Sequence: 2
Exhibit 1.1
3,454,756 Shares
LIFEWAY FOODS, INC.
Common Stock, No Par Value
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
May 14, 2026
BTIG, LLC
65 East 55th Street
New York, NY 10022
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Danone USA Public Benefit
Corporation, a Delaware public benefit corporation (the “Selling Stockholder”), proposes to sell to BTIG, LLC (“BTIG”),
as the sole underwriter (the “Underwriter,” which term shall also include any underwriter substituted as hereinafter provided
in Section 10 hereof), 3,454,756 shares of common stock, no par value per share (the “Common Shares”) of Lifeway Foods,
Inc., a corporation organized under the laws of the State of Illinois (the “Company”). For purposes of this Agreement, the
term “Representative” as used herein shall mean BTIG, as Underwriter, and the term “Underwriters” shall mean
either the singular or the plural, as the context requires. The 3,454,756 Common Shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholder are called
the “Offered Shares.”
The Company and the Selling
Stockholder understand that the Underwriter proposes to make a public offering of the Offered Shares as soon as the Representative deems
advisable after this Underwriting Agreement (this “Agreement”) has been executed and delivered.
The Company has prepared and
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (No.
333-291148) covering the Offered Shares, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and rules
and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Securities Act Regulations”), which shelf registration statement was declared
effective by the Commission. Such registration statement, as of any time, means such registration statement as amended by any post-effective
amendments thereto to such time, including the exhibits and any schedules thereto at such time, the documents incorporated or deemed to
be incorporated by reference therein at such time pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act and the documents otherwise
deemed to be a part thereof as of such time pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 430B”),
and is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement;” provided, however, that the “Registration Statement”
without reference to a time means such registration statement as amended by any post-effective amendments thereto as of the time of the
first contract of sale for the Offered Shares, which time shall be considered the “new effective date” of such registration
statement with respect to the Offered Shares within the meaning of paragraph (f)(2) of Rule 430B, including the exhibits and schedules
thereto as of such time, the documents incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference therein at such time pursuant to Item 12 of Form
S-3 under the Securities Act and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof as of such time pursuant to Rule 430B. Each preliminary
prospectus used in connection with the offering of the Offered Shares, including the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated
by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act, are collectively referred to herein as a “preliminary
prospectus.” Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will prepare and file a final prospectus supplement
relating to the Offered Shares in accordance with the provisions of Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 424(b)”).
The final prospectus, in the form first furnished or made available to the Underwriter for use in connection with the offering of the
Offered Shares, including the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3
under the Securities Act, are collectively referred to herein as the “Prospectus.” For purposes of this Agreement,
all references to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the
foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval
system or any successor system (“EDGAR”).
1
As used in this Agreement:
“Applicable
Time” means 8:30 A.M., New York City time, on May 14, 2026 or such other time as agreed by the Selling Stockholder and the Representative.
“General
Disclosure Package” means any Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectuses issued at or prior to the Applicable Time, the most
recent preliminary prospectus (including any documents incorporated therein by reference) that is distributed to investors prior to the
Applicable Time and the information included on Schedule B-1 hereto, all considered together.
“Issuer
Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities
Act Regulations (“Rule 433”), including without limitation any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in
Rule 405 under the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 405”)) relating to the Offered Shares that is (i) required to
be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) a “road show for an offering that is a written communication” within the
meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (iii) exempt from filing with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Offered Shares or of the offering that does not reflect the final
terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained
in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).
“Issuer
General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective
investors (other than a “bona fide electronic road show,” as defined in Rule 433 (a “Bona Fide Electronic
Road Show”)), as evidenced by its being specified in Schedule B-2 hereto.
“Issuer
Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing
Prospectus.
“Testing-the-Waters
Communication” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the
Securities Act or Rule 163B under the Securities Act Regulations.
“Written
Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning
of Rule 405 under the Securities Act Regulations.
All references in this Agreement
to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “contained,” “included” or “stated”
(or other references of like import) in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include
all such financial statements and schedules and other information incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement; and
all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus
shall be deemed to include the filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”),
and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Exchange Act Regulations”), incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, such preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, at or after
the execution and delivery of this Agreement.
SECTION 1.
Representations and Warranties.
(a)
Representations and Warranties by the Company. The Company represents and warrants to the Underwriter as of the date hereof,
the Applicable Time, the Closing Time (as defined below), and agrees with the Underwriter, as follows:
2
(i)
Registration Statement and Prospectuses. At the time the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December
31, 2025 (the “Annual Report”) was filed with the Commission, or, if later, at the time the Registration Statement
was originally filed with the Commission, the Company met, and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement meet, the requirements
for and comply with the conditions for the use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act, including General Instruction I.B.1 of Form S-3.
Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto has been declared effective by the Commission under the Securities
Act and the Securities Act Regulations. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective
amendment thereto has been issued by the Commission under the Securities Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary
prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued by the Commission and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted by the
Commission or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated by the Commission. The Company has complied with any requests
from the Commission for additional information.
Each of the Registration
Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time of its effectiveness and at each deemed effect date with respect to the
Underwriters pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) under the Securities Act Regulations, complied in all material respects with the requirements
of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. Each preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement
thereto, at the time each was filed with the Commission, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act
and the Securities Act Regulations. Each preliminary prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering
and the Prospectus was or will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR,
except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T. The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, when they became effective or at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied
and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act Regulations.
The Registration
Statement, any preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus, and the filing of the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus and
the Prospectus with the Commission have been duly authorized by and on behalf of the Company, and the Registration Statement has been
duly executed pursuant to such authorization.
(ii)
Accurate Disclosure. Neither the Registration Statement nor any amendment thereto, at its effective time, at the Closing
Time, contained, contains or will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. As of the Applicable Time, none of (A) the General
Disclosure Package, (B) any individual Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the General Disclosure
Package, nor (C) any individual Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package,
included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary
in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Neither the Prospectus
nor any amendment or supplement thereto (including any prospectus wrapper), as of its date, at the time of any filing with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 424(b), at the Closing Time, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits
or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading.
The documents incorporated
or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, at the time
the Registration Statement became effective or when such documents incorporated by reference were filed with the Commission, as the case
may be, when read together with the other information in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus,
as the case may be, did not and will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
3
The representations
and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto),
the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto, including any prospectus wrapper) made in reliance
upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use
therein. For purposes of this Agreement, the only information so furnished shall be the information in paragraphs six, twelve, thirteen,
fourteen, fifteen and sixteen under the heading Underwriting in the Prospectus (collectively, the “Underwriter Information”).
(iii)
Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. No Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicts or will conflict with the information contained
in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein, and any preliminary or other
prospectus deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified. No filing of any “road show” (as defined
in Rule 433(h)) is required in connection with the offering of the Offered Shares. Any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that the Company
is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) has been, or will be, filed with the Commission in accordance with the requirements of the
Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file,
pursuant to Rule 433(d) or that was prepared by or on behalf of or used or referred to by the Company complies or will comply in all material
respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. Except for the Issuer General Use Free Writing
Prospectuses, if any, and electronic road shows, if any, each furnished to the Representative before first use, the Company has not prepared,
used or referred to, and will not, without the prior consent of the Representative, prepare, use or refer to, any Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus.
(iv)
Testing-the-Waters Materials. The Company (A) has not engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communication other than Testing-the-Waters
Communications with the consent of the Representative with entities that are or the Company reasonably believes to be qualified institutional
buyers within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act Regulations or institutions that are accredited investors within the meaning
of Rule 501 under the Securities Act Regulations and (B) has not authorized anyone other than the Representative to engage in Testing-the-Waters
Communications. The Company reconfirms that the Representative has been authorized to act on its behalf in undertaking Testing-the-Waters
Communications. The Company has not distributed any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications other than those listed on Schedule B-3
hereto. If at any time following the distribution of any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication there occurred or occurs an event or
development as a result of which such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication included or would include an untrue statement of a material
fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Representative and will promptly amend or supplement,
at its own expense, such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication to eliminate or correct such untrue statement or omission.
(v)
Distribution of Offering Material by the Company. Prior to the completion of the Underwriter’s distribution of the
Offered Shares, the Company has not distributed and will not distribute any offering material in connection with the offering and
sale of the Offered Shares other than the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any free writing prospectus
reviewed and consented to by the Representative, the Issuer Free Writing Prospectus hereto and any Testing-the-Waters Communication.
(vi)
Company Not Ineligible Issuer. At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto,
at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of
Rule 164(h)(2) under the Securities Act Regulations) of the Offered Shares and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible
issuer,” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act Regulations, without taking account of any determination by the Commission
pursuant to Rule 405 under the Securities Act Regulations that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an ineligible issuer.
(vii)
Independent Accountants. The accountants who certified the financial statements and supporting schedules included in the
Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are Grant Thornton LLP, who (i) are independent public accountants
as required by the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations, the Exchange Act, the rules and regulations of the Commission under
the Exchange Act and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”), (ii) are in compliance
with the applicable requirements relating to the qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act,
and (iii) are a registered public accounting firm as defined by the PCAOB whose registration has not been suspended or revoked and who
has not requested such registration to be withdrawn. Such accountants have not been engaged by the Company to perform any “prohibited
activities” or provided to the Company any “non-audit services” (as defined in Section 10A of the Exchange Act).
4
(viii)
Financial Statements; Non-GAAP Financial Measures. The financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes, comply as to
form in all material respects with Regulation S-X under the Securities Act and present fairly, in all material respects, the financial
position of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries (as defined below) at the dates indicated and the statement of operations, stockholders’
equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries for the periods specified; said financial statements have been
prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout
the periods involved. The supporting schedules, if any, present fairly, in all material respects, in accordance with GAAP the information
required to be stated therein. No other financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included in the Registration Statement,
the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus. No historical or pro forma financial statements or supporting schedules are required
to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus under the
Securities Act or the Securities Act Regulations. All disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package
or the Prospectus, or incorporated by reference therein, regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined
by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply with Regulation G under the Exchange Act, and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the
Exchange Act, to the extent applicable. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference
in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material
respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto. To the Company’s
knowledge, no person who has been suspended or barred from being associated with a registered public accounting firm, or who has failed
to comply with any sanction pursuant to Rule 5300 promulgated by the PCAOB, has participated in or otherwise aided the preparation of,
or audited, the financial statements, supporting schedules or other financial data filed with the Commission and included in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(ix)
Off Balance Sheet Transactions. There are no transactions, arrangements and other relationships between and/or among the
Company, and/or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of its affiliates and any unconsolidated entity, including, but not limited to,
any structured finance, special purpose or limited purpose entity (each, an “Off Balance Sheet Transaction”) that would
affect materially the Company’s liquidity or the availability of or requirements for its capital resources, including those Off
Balance Sheet Transactions described in the Commission’s Statement about Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Conditions and Results of Operations (Release Nos. 33-8056; 34-45321; FR-61), required to be described in the Registration Statement,
the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus which have not been described as required.
(x)
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or any of the Company’s directors
or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and
the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), including Section 402 related
to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.
(xi)
No Material Adverse Change in Business. Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, (A) there has been no material adverse change, or any development that could
be expected to result in a material adverse change, in (1) the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs
or business prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course
of business or (2) the ability of the Company to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or perform its obligations
hereunder (any such change being referred to herein as a “Material Adverse Effect”), (B) there have been no transactions
entered into by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, other than those in the ordinary course of business, which are material with respect
to the Company and its Subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, (C) there have been no material liabilities or obligations, direct or
contingent, entered into by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (D) there has been no material decrease in capital stock and no material
increase in any short-term or long-term indebtedness of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and (E) there has been no dividend
or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock, or, except for dividends paid to
the Company or another Subsidiary, by any Subsidiary on any class of shares, or any repurchase or redemption by the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries of any class of shares.
5
(xii)
Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing
under the laws of the State of Illinois and has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct
its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform
its obligations under this Agreement; and the Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing
in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct
of business, except where the failure to be so qualified or to be in good standing could not reasonably be expected, individually or in
the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(xiii)
Subsidiaries of the Company. Each subsidiary of the Company listed on Schedule 1(a)(xiii) (each, a “Subsidiary”
and, collectively, the “Subsidiaries”) has been duly organized and is validly existing in good standing under the laws
of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, has corporate or similar power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties
and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and is duly
qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason
of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business. All of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each Subsidiary
has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and is owned by the Company, directly or through Subsidiaries,
free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity. None of the outstanding shares of capital
stock of any Subsidiary was issued in violation of the preemptive or similar rights of any securityholder of such Subsidiary. The Company
does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than the Subsidiaries listed in Exhibit
21 to the Annual Report. No Subsidiary is prohibited or restricted, directly or indirectly, from paying dividends to the Company, from
making any other distribution with respect to such Subsidiary’s equity securities, from repaying to the Company or any other Subsidiary
any amounts that may from time to time become due under any loans or advances to such Subsidiary from the Company or from transferring
any property or assets to the Company or to any other Subsidiary.
(xiv)
Capitalization. The authorized, issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are as set forth in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (except for subsequent issuances, if any, (A) pursuant to this Agreement,
(B) pursuant to reservations, agreements or employee benefit plans referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package
and the Prospectus or (C) pursuant to the conversion of convertible securities or exercise of options referred to in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus). The Common Shares conform in all material respects to the description thereof
incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, including as an exhibit
entitled “Description of Securities.” The outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and
are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. Except as set forth on Schedule 1(a)(xiv), none of the outstanding shares of capital
stock of the Company was issued in violation of the preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights of any securityholder
of the Company. Except as disclosed in or contemplated by the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus,
there are no authorized or outstanding options, warrants, preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other rights to purchase, or equity
or debt securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for, any capital stock of the Company or its Subsidiaries.
(xv)
Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(xvi)
Authorization and Description of Offered Shares. The Offered Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Selling
Stockholder are duly authorized, validly issued and fully-paid and non-assessable. The Common Shares conform to all statements relating
thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and such description conforms to the
rights set forth in the instruments defining the same. No holder of Offered Shares will be subject to personal liability by reason of
being such a holder.
6
(xvii)
Registration Rights. Other than the registration rights of the Selling Stockholder pursuant to the Cooperation Agreement
dated September 30, 2025 between the Company and the Selling Stockholder (the “Cooperation Agreement”) and the Stockholders’
Agreement dated October 1, 1999 (as amended, the “Stockholders’ Agreement”), there are no persons with registration
rights or other similar rights to have any securities registered for sale pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise registered
for sale or sold by the Company under the Securities Act pursuant to this Agreement, other than those rights that have been disclosed
in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and have been duly waived.
(xviii)
No Rights to Purchase Preferred Stock. The issuance and sale of the Offered Shares as contemplated hereby will not cause
any holder of any shares of capital stock, securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for capital stock or options, warrants
or other rights to purchase capital stock or any other securities of the Company to have any right to acquire any shares of preferred
stock of the Company.
(xix)
Absence of Violations, Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is (A) in violation of its charter,
by-laws or similar organizational document, (B) in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or
condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument
to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by which either of them may be bound or to which any of the properties or assets
of the Company or any Subsidiary is subject (collectively, “Agreements and Instruments”), except for such defaults
that could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, or (C) in violation of any
law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any arbitrator, court, governmental body, regulatory body, administrative
agency or other authority, body or agency having jurisdiction over the Company or its Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties,
assets or operations (each, a “Governmental Entity”), except for such violations that could not reasonably be expected,
individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus
and compliance by the Company with its obligations hereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and do not and
will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default
or Repayment Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any properties
or assets of the Company or its Subsidiaries pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments (except for such conflicts, breaches, defaults
or Repayment Events or liens, charges or encumbrances that could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have
a Material Adverse Effect), nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the charter, by-laws or similar organizational
document of the Company or its Subsidiaries or any law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any Governmental
Entity. As used herein, a “Repayment Event” means any event or condition which gives the holder of any note, debenture
or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption
or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or its Subsidiaries.
(xx)
No Contract Terminations. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has sent or received any communication regarding
termination of, or intent not to renew, any of the contracts or agreements referred to or described in the Registration Statement, the
General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and no such termination or non-renewal has been threatened by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries or, to the Company’s knowledge, any other party to any such contract or agreement, which threat of termination or non-renewal
has not been rescinded as of the date hereof.
(xxi)
Related-Party Transactions. There are no relationships, direct or indirect, or related-party transactions involving the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any other person (including any director, officer, stockholder, customer or supplier of the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries) required to be described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that
have not been described as required. There are no material outstanding loans, advances (except normal advances for business expenses in
the ordinary course of business) or guarantees of indebtedness by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to or for the benefit of any
of the officers or directors of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any of the family members of any of such persons.
7
(xxii)
Exchange Act Registration; Listing. The Common Shares are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and the
Common Shares have been approved for listing on The Nasdaq Global Market (the “Exchange”), and the Company has taken
no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Shares under the Exchange Act or delisting
the Common Shares from the Exchange, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission or the Exchange is contemplating
terminating such registration or listing. The Company is in compliance with all applicable listing requirements of the Exchange.
(xxiii)
Absence of Labor Dispute. No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or its Subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge
of the Company, is imminent, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its
or its Subsidiaries’ principal collaborators, suppliers, manufacturers, customers or contractors, which, in either case, would result
in a Material Adverse Effect. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, none
of the employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is represented by a labor union and, to the knowledge of the Company, no labor
union organizing activities have occurred or are ongoing. Neither the Company nor its Subsidiaries has violated (or received notice of
any violation of) any federal, state or local law or foreign law relating to the discrimination in hiring, promotion or pay of employees,
nor any applicable wage or hour laws, or the rules and regulations thereunder, or analogous foreign laws and regulations, which could
reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxiv)
Absence of Proceedings. There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any Governmental
Entity (including, without limitation, any action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (the “FDA”) now pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company
or its Subsidiaries, which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which could reasonably be expected
to materially and adversely affect their respective properties or assets or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this
Agreement or the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder; and the aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings
to which the Company or any such Subsidiary is a party or of which any of their respective properties or assets is the subject which are
not described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, including ordinary routine litigation
incidental to the business, could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxv)
Accuracy of Exhibits. There are no contracts or documents which are required to be described in the Registration Statement,
the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement which have not been so described
and filed as required.
(xxvi)
No Consents Required. Except for the registration of the Offered Shares under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and
applicable state securities laws, and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders and registrations or qualifications as may be required
by FINRA and the Exchange in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Offered Shares by the Underwriter and the listing of
the Offered Shares on the Exchange, no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or filing, qualification or registration (each an
“Authorization”) with, any court, governmental or regulatory agency or body, foreign or domestic, which has not been
made, obtained or taken and is not in full force and effect, is required for the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement
by the Company, the issuance and sale of the Offered Shares or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby; and no event
has occurred that allows or results in, or after notice or lapse of time or both would allow or result in, revocation, suspension, termination
or invalidation of any such Authorization or any other impairment of the rights of the holder or maker of any such Authorization.
8
(xxvii)
Possession of Licenses and Permits. The Company and its Subsidiaries possess all such permits, licenses, sub-licenses, certificates,
approvals, clearances, exemptions, registrations, consents and other authorizations (collectively, “Governmental Licenses”)
issued by the appropriate Governmental Entities necessary to conduct the business now operated by them (including, without limitation,
all such Governmental Licenses required by the FDA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Federal Trade Commission, and any other applicable
federal, state, local or foreign agencies or bodies engaged in the regulation of food safety, food manufacturing, labeling, distribution
or other activities related to the business now operated by the Company and its Subsidiaries), except where the failure so to possess
could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its Subsidiaries
are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply could not reasonably
be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has fulfilled and performed all of its material
obligations with respect to the Governmental Licenses and, to the knowledge of the Company, no event has occurred which allows, or after
notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination thereof or results in any other material impairment of the rights of the
Company as a holder of any permit, except where the failure to so fulfill or perform, or the occurrence of such event, could not reasonably
be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect. All of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full
force and effect, except where the invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or the failure of such Governmental Licenses to be in full
force and effect could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company
nor its Subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation, suspension, termination, invalidation or modification
of, or non-compliance with, any Governmental Licenses which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling
or finding, would result in a Material Adverse Effect. The manufacturing facilities and operations of its suppliers are operated in compliance
in all material respects with all Applicable Laws (as defined below) and Governmental Licenses.
(xxviii)
Title to Property. The Company and its Subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real property owned by them and
good title to all other properties owned by them, in each case, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, claims,
restrictions or encumbrances of any kind; and all of the leases and subleases material to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries,
considered as one enterprise, and under which the Company or its Subsidiaries holds properties described in the Registration Statement,
the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, are in full force and effect, and neither the Company nor any such Subsidiary has any
notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any Subsidiary under
any of the leases or subleases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company or such Subsidiary to the continued
possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease.
(xxix)
Title to Intellectual Property. The Company owns or has valid, binding and enforceable licenses or other rights under the
patents, patent applications, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know how (including trade secrets and other proprietary or confidential
information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks, trade names or other intellectual property necessary for, or used in the
conduct, or the proposed conduct, of the business of the Company in the manner described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus (collectively, the “Intellectual Property”); the patents, trademarks, and copyrights, if
any, included within the Intellectual Property are valid, enforceable, and subsisting; (A) the Company is not obligated to pay a material
royalty, grant a license to, or provide other material consideration to any third party in connection with the Intellectual Property,
(B) the Company has not received any notice of any claim of infringement, misappropriation or conflict with any asserted rights of others
with respect to any of the Company’s products, services, processes or Intellectual Property, (C) to the knowledge of the Company,
neither the sale nor use of any of the discoveries, inventions, products, services or processes of the Company referred to in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus do or will infringe, misappropriate or violate any right or valid patent claim
of any third party, (D) none of the technology employed by the Company has been obtained or is being used by the Company in material violation
of any contractual obligation binding on the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, upon any of its officers, directors or employees
or otherwise in violation of the rights of any persons, (E) to the knowledge of the Company, no third party has any ownership right in
or to any Intellectual Property that is owned by the Company, other than any co-owner of any patent or patent application in the Intellectual
Property who is listed as co-owner in the records of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (the “USPTO”), and no third
party has any ownership right in or to any Intellectual Property in any field of use that is exclusively licensed to the Company, other
than any licensor to the Company of such Intellectual Property, (F) there is no material infringement by third parties of any Intellectual
Property, (G) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging
the Company’s rights in or to any Intellectual Property, (H) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened
action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the validity or scope of any Intellectual Property, and (I) all Intellectual Property
owned by or exclusively licensed to the Company or its Subsidiaries is free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, defects or other restrictions
(other than non-exclusive licenses granted in the ordinary course of business), except those that could not be reasonably expected, individually
or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company is in compliance with the terms of each agreement pursuant to which
Intellectual Property has been licensed to the Company, and all such agreements are in full force and effect.
9
(xxx)
Compliance with ERISA. The Company and any “employee benefit plan” (as defined under the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (collectively, “ERISA”))
established or maintained by the Company, or its “ERISA Affiliates” (as defined below) are in compliance in all material respects
with ERISA. “ERISA Affiliates” means, with respect to the Company, any member of any group of organizations described
in Sections 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations
thereunder (the “Code”) of which the Company is a member. No “reportable event” (as defined under ERISA)
has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur with respect to any “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the
Company, or any of its ERISA Affiliates. No “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company or any of its
ERISA Affiliates, if such “employee benefit plan” were terminated, would have any “amount of unfunded benefit liabilities”
(as defined under ERISA). Neither the Company nor any of its ERISA Affiliates has incurred or reasonably expects to incur any liability
under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any “employee benefit plan” or (ii) Sections
412, 4971, 4975 or 4980B of the Code. Each “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company or any of its
ERISA Affiliates that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified and nothing has occurred, whether by
action or failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.
(xxxi)
Non-Competition; Non-Solicitation. No director or officer of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is subject to any non-competition
agreement or non-solicitation agreement with any employer or prior employer which could materially affect such director’s or officer’s
ability to serve and act in the capacity of a director or officer of the Company or a Subsidiary, as the case may be.
(xxxii)
Environmental Laws. (A) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in material violation of any applicable federal, state,
local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative interpretation
thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to protection of human health, the environment
(including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) natural resources or wildlife,
from exposure to or the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances,
including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, petroleum or petroleum products, asbestos-containing materials or mold (collectively, “Hazardous
Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous
Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (B) the Company and its Subsidiaries have all permits, authorizations
and approvals required under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in material compliance with their requirements, (C) there
are no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company threatened, administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand
letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against
the Company or any Subsidiary and (D) there are no events or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to form the basis of a governmental
order for remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or Governmental Entity, against or affecting the Company
or any Subsidiary relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental Laws.
(xxxiii)
Accounting Controls and Disclosure Controls. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries maintain effective internal control
over financial reporting (as defined under Rule -13a-15 and 15d--15 under the Exchange Act Regulations) and a system of internal accounting
controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general
or specific authorization; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity
with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general
or specific authorization; and (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals
and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Since the end of the Company’s most recent fiscal year, there has
been (1) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (2) no
change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially adversely affected, or is reasonably likely
to materially adversely affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries
maintain an effective system of disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15 and Rule 15d-15 under the Exchange Act Regulations)
that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the
Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms,
and is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive officer or officers and principal
financial officer or officers, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding disclosure.
10
(xxxiv)
Payment of Taxes. All United States federal income tax returns of the Company and its Subsidiaries required by law to be
filed have been filed and all taxes shown by such returns or otherwise assessed, which are due and payable, have been paid, except assessments
against which appeals have been or will be promptly taken and as to which adequate reserves have been provided in conformity with GAAP.
The United States federal income tax returns of the Company through the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025 have been settled and no assessment
in connection therewith has been made against the Company. The Company and its Subsidiaries have filed all other tax returns that are
required to have been filed by them pursuant to applicable foreign, state, local or other law except insofar as the failure to file such
returns could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, and have paid all taxes
due pursuant to such returns or pursuant to any assessment received by the Company and its Subsidiaries, except for such taxes, if any,
as are being contested in good faith and as to which adequate reserves have been established by the Company. The charges, accruals and
reserves on the books of the Company in respect of any income and corporation tax liability, including all federal, state and foreign
income and franchise taxes, for any years not finally determined are, in conformity with GAAP, adequate to meet any assessments or re-assessments
for additional income tax for any years not finally determined, except to the extent of any inadequacy that could not reasonably be expected,
individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxxv)
Transfer Tax. There are no transfer taxes or other similar fees or charges under federal law, the laws of any state, any
foreign law, or any political subdivision thereof, required to be paid in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement
or the issuance or sale by the Company of the Offered Shares.
(xxxvi)
Insurance. The Company and its Subsidiaries carry or are entitled to the benefits of insurance, with financially sound and
reputable insurers, in such amounts and covering such risks as is generally maintained by companies of established repute engaged in the
same or similar business, and all such insurance is in full force and effect. The Company has no reason to believe that it or its Subsidiaries
will not be able (A) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (B) to obtain comparable coverage
from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that could not reasonably
be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor its Subsidiaries has been denied
any insurance coverage which it has sought or for which it has applied.
(xxxvii) Investment
Company Act. The Company is not required, and upon the issuance and sale of the Offered Shares as herein contemplated and the application
of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will not be
required, to register as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(xxxviii) Absence
of Manipulation. Neither the Company nor any affiliate of the Company has taken, nor will the Company or any affiliate take, directly
or indirectly, any action which is designed, or would be expected, to cause or result in, or which otherwise constitutes, the stabilization
or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Offered Shares or to result in a
violation of Regulation M under the Exchange Act.
(xxxix)
Anti-Bribery Laws. None of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of their respective
directors, officers, agents, employees or affiliates, has taken or will take any action in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise
to pay, or authorization or approval of the unlawful payment or giving of money, property, gifts or anything else of value, directly
or indirectly, to any “government official” (including any officer or employee of a government or government-owned or controlled
entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing,
or any political party or party official or candidate for political office) to influence official action or secure an improper advantage
for the Company; and the Company, each of its Subsidiaries and, to the Company’s knowledge, each of their respective affiliates
acting in such capacity, have conducted their businesses in compliance with applicable anti-corruption laws. The Company will not directly
or indirectly use the proceeds of the sale of the Offered Shares, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds in any
other manner that will result in a violation by any Person (including any Person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter,
advisor, investor or otherwise) of applicable anti-corruption laws.
11
(xl)
Anti-Corruption Laws. None of the Company, its Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer,
agent, employee, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or its Subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action, directly
or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons in connection with their activities on behalf of the Company of the Foreign
Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”), the UK Bribery Act
2010 and any other applicable anti-corruption law (collectively, the “Anti-Corruption Laws”). Each of the Company,
its Subsidiaries and, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person
acting on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or affiliates has conducted its respective business in compliance with the
Anti-Corruption Laws and is not aware of any action that would be in violation of Anti-Corruption Laws, including, without limitation,
making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise
to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything
of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof
or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the Anti-Corruption Laws; and the Company, its Subsidiaries and, to
the knowledge of the Company, its affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the Anti-Corruption Laws and have instituted
and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance
therewith. The Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the sale of the Offered Shares, or lend, contribute or otherwise
make available such proceeds in any other manner that will result in a violation by any Person (including any Person participating in
the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of the Anti-Corruption Laws.
(xli)
Anti-Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times
in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act
of 1970, as amended, applicable provisions of the USA Patriot Act of 2001, the Money Laundering Control Act of 1986, the Anti-Money Laundering
Act of 2020, the money laundering statutes of all applicable jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar
rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any Governmental Entity (collectively, the “Anti-Money
Laundering Laws”); and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Entity involving the Company or its Subsidiaries
with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.
(xlii)
OFAC. None of the Company, its Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee,
affiliate or representative of the Company or its Subsidiaries is an individual or entity (“Person”) currently the
subject or target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the United States Government, including, without limitation, the U.S. Department
of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control and the U.S. Department of State, the United Nations Security Council, the European
Union, His Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor is the
Company located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions, including, without limitation, the
so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic, the Crimea Region of Ukraine, the non-government
controlled areas of the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson Regions, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria; and the Company will not directly or indirectly
use the proceeds of the sale of the Offered Shares, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any Subsidiary, joint
venture partners or other Person, to fund or facilitate any activities of or business with any Person, or in any country or territory,
that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject of Sanctions or in any other manner that will result in a violation
by any Person (including any Person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions.
For the past five years, the Company and its Subsidiaries have not engaged in and are not now engaged in any dealings or transactions
with any person or entity, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of Sanctions.
12
(xliii)
Outbound Investments. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a “covered foreign person,” as that
term is defined in 31 C.F.R. § 850.209. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries currently engages, or has plans to engage,
directly or indirectly, in a “covered activity” or “covered transaction,” as such terms are defined in 31 C.F.R.
§ 850.208 and 31 C.F.R. § 850.209, respectively, any other activity that would cause the Underwriters to be in violation of
the Outbound Investment Rules or cause the Underwriters to be legally prohibited by the Outbound Investment Rules from performing
under this Agreement (“Covered Activity”). Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a “covered
foreign person,” as that term is defined in 31 C.F.R. § 850.209. The Company does not have any joint ventures that engages
in or plans to engage in any Covered Activity. The Company also does not, directly or indirectly, hold a board seat on, have a voting
or equity interest in, or have any contractual power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of any person or persons
that engages or plans to engage in any Covered Activity. For the purpose of this Agreement, “Outbound Investment Rules” means
the regulations administered and enforced, together with any related public guidance issued, by the United States Treasury Department
under U.S. Executive Order 14105 of August 9, 2023, or any similar law or regulation as of the date of this Agreement, and as codified
at 31 C.F.R. §850.101 et seq.
(xliv)
Lending Relationship. The Company does not have any material lending or other relationship with any banking
or lending affiliate of any Underwriter.
(xlv)
No Bankruptcy Proceeding. The Company is not in or subject to a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding in any jurisdiction.
(xlvi)
Maintenance of Rating. The Company has no debt securities or preferred stock that is rated by any “nationally recognized
statistical rating organization” (as that term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities
Act).
(xlvii)
Privacy and Data Protection. The Company and its Subsidiaries have at all times protected and maintained the confidentiality
and integrity of all personal information, protected health information, consumer information and any other confidential or proprietary
information of the Company, its Subsidiaries or any third parties in its possession or under its control (collectively, “Company
Data”). The Company and its Subsidiaries have been in compliance in all material respects with all privacy, data security and
data protection laws, rules, and regulations applicable to the Company’s collection, use, processing, transfer, protection, disposal,
disclosure, handling, storage and analysis of Company Data, including any internal- or external-facing policies and procedures or contractual
obligations related thereto (collectively, “Data Protection Requirements”). The Company has provided all requisite
notices and obtained any required consents, and satisfied any other requirements necessary for the lawful processing of Company Data as
currently conducted and in relation to the consummation of the proposed transaction. The Company and its Subsidiaries have implemented
and maintain reasonable and appropriate administrative, technical, and physical measures consistent with the state of the art for the
industry in which the Company operates to comply with Data Protection Requirements. The tangible and digital information technology systems
(including computers, devices, mobile services, screens, servers, workstations, routers, hubs, switches, networks, data communications
lines, technical data, equipment and hardware), software and telecommunications systems used or held for use by the Company and its Subsidiaries
(the “Company IT Assets”) are adequate and operate, in accordance with their documentation and functional specifications
to support the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, now and as envisaged in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus. To the Company’s knowledge, no Company IT Assets contain any virus, “time bomb”, “back
door”, “trap door”, Trojan horse, spyware, keylogger software, worm or other software routines, faults, malicious code,
damaging devices, or hardware components designed to permit misuse of Company IT Assets or any data thereon. The Company and its Subsidiaries
have established and maintain a commercially reasonable, written program to protect Company Data against unauthorized access, use, disclosure,
deletion, destruction, or alteration. The Company and its Subsidiaries have established commercially reasonable disaster recovery and
security plans, procedures and facilities for the business consistent with industry standards and practices in all material respects,
including, without limitation, for the Company IT Assets and Company Data. For the past five (5) years, the Company and its Subsidiaries
have not suffered or incurred any actual or reasonably suspected security breach, compromise or other incident resulting in the unauthorized
access, acquisition, interruption, alteration, modification, loss, theft, corruption or use of any Company IT Asset or Company Data (“Security
Incident”), except where such Security Incident could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result
in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its Subsidiaries have not been required to notify (nor voluntarily notified) any individual
or governmental authority of any Security Incident, and there is not currently, nor has there ever been, any pending or threatened action,
proceeding, investigation, suit or claim against the Company with respect to the Company’s compliance with Data Protection Requirements
or its processing of Company Data.
13
(xlviii)
No Broker Fees. There are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person that would give
rise to a valid claim against the Company or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment in connection
with the offering of the Offered Shares contemplated hereby other than pursuant to this Agreement.
(xlix)
Forward-Looking Statement. Each financial or operational projection or other “forward-looking statement” (as
defined by Section 27A of the Securities Act or Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Registration Statement, the General
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (i) was so included by the Company in good faith and with reasonable basis after due consideration
by the Company of the underlying assumptions, estimates and other applicable facts and circumstances and (ii) as required, is accompanied
by meaningful cautionary statements identifying those factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such
forward-looking statement. No such statement was made with the knowledge of a director or senior manager of the Company that was false
or misleading.
(l)
Statistical and Market-Related Data. Any statistical, industry-related and market-related data included or incorporated
by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus were obtained or derived from sources that
the Company, reasonably and in good faith believes are reliable and accurate, such data are consistent with the sources from which they
are derived, and, to the extent required, the Company has obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources.
(b)
Representations and Warranties of the Selling Stockholder. The Selling Stockholder represents, warrants and covenants to
the Underwriter as of the date hereof, the Applicable Time and the Closing Time (as defined below)and agrees with the Underwriter, as
follows:
(i)
Organization and Good Standing. The Selling Stockholder has been duly organized and is validly existing and in good standing as
a public benefit corporation under the laws of the State of Delaware.
(ii)
The Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by or on behalf of the Selling
Stockholder.
(iii)
Title to Offered Shares to be Sold. The Selling Stockholder has, and on the Closing Time will have, good and valid title
to all of the Offered Shares subject to sale by the Selling Stockholder pursuant to this Agreement on such date and the legal right and
power to sell, transfer and deliver all of the Offered Shares which may be sold by the Selling Stockholder pursuant to this Agreement
and to comply with its other obligations hereunder.
(iv)
Delivery of the Offered Shares to be Sold. Delivery of Offered Shares by the Selling Stockholder pursuant to this Agreement
will pass good and valid title to, or a valid “security entitlement” within the meaning of Section 8-501 of
the New York Uniform Commercial Code (the “UCC”) to, such Offered Shares, free and clear of any security interest,
mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance or other adverse claim. Upon payment for the Offered Shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholder
pursuant to this Agreement, delivery of such Offered Shares, as directed by the Representative, to Cede & Co. (“Cede”)
or such other nominee as may be designated by the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), registration of such Offered Shares
in the name of Cede or such other nominee and the crediting of such Offered Shares on the books of DTC to securities accounts of the Underwriter
(assuming that neither DTC nor the Underwriter has notice of any adverse claim (within the meaning of Section 8-105 of the UCC) to such
Offered Shares), (A) in the case of Offered Shares delivered in certificated or uncertificated form, DTC shall be a “protected purchaser”
of such Offered Shares within the meaning of Section 8-303 of the UCC, (B) in the case of delivery in the form of security entitlements,
under Section 8-501 of the UCC, the Underwriter will acquire a valid security entitlement in respect of such Offered Shares and (C) in
the case of delivery in the form of security entitlements, no action based on any “adverse claim”, within the meaning of Section
8-102 of the UCC, to such Offered Shares may be asserted against the Underwriter with respect to such security entitlement; for purposes
of this representation, the Selling Stockholder may assume that when such payment, delivery and crediting occur, (1) such Offered Shares
will have been registered in the name of Cede or another nominee designated by DTC, in each case on the Company’s share registry
in accordance with its certificate of incorporation, bylaws and applicable law, (2) DTC will be a “clearing corporation” within
the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC and (3) appropriate entries to the accounts of the Underwriter on the records of DTC will have
been made pursuant to the UCC.
14
(v)
Non-Contravention; No Further Authorizations or Approvals Required. Except (a) as will have been obtained on or prior to
the Closing Time, (b) as may be required under foreign or state securities or blue sky laws or by the FINRA or by the Exchange, and (c)
as would not impair in any material respect the ability of the Selling Stockholder to consummate its obligations hereunder, the execution
and delivery by the Selling Stockholder of, and the performance by the Selling Stockholder of its obligations under, this Agreement will
not contravene or conflict with, result in a breach of, or constitute a breach or default under, or require the consent of any other party
to, the charter or by-laws or other organizational documents of the Selling Stockholder or any other agreement or instrument to which
the Selling Stockholder is a party or by which it is bound or under which it is entitled to any right or benefit, any provision of applicable
law or any judgment, order, decree or regulation applicable to the Selling Stockholder of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency,
governmental body or arbitrator having jurisdiction over the Selling Stockholder. No consent, approval, authorization or other order of,
or registration or filing with, any court or other governmental authority or agency, is required for the consummation by the Selling Stockholder
of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement, except such as may be required under the Securities Act, applicable state securities
or blue sky laws and from the FINRA, or as would not impair in any material respect the ability of the Selling Stockholder to consummate
its obligations hereunder.
(vi)
No Registration, Pre-emptive, Co-Sale or Other Similar Rights. The Selling Stockholder: (A) does not have any registration
or other similar rights to have any securities registered for sale by the Company under the Registration Statement or included in the
offering contemplated by this Agreement, except for such rights as are described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus under “Selling Stockholder;” (B) does not have any preemptive right, co-sale right, right of first
refusal or other similar right to purchase any of the Offered Shares that are to be sold by the Company or any of the other Selling Stockholders
to the Underwriter pursuant to this Agreement, except for such rights as the Selling Stockholder has waived prior to the date hereof and
are described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and (C) does not own any warrants, options
or similar rights to acquire, and does not have any right or arrangement to acquire, any capital stock, right, warrants, options or other
securities from the Company, in each case, other than those described, or incorporated by reference in, the Registration Statement, the
General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(vii)
No Further Consents, etc. Except for such consents, approvals and waivers as have been obtained by the Selling Stockholder
on or prior to the date of this Agreement, no consent, approval or waiver is required under any instrument or agreement to which the Selling
Stockholder is a party or by which it is bound or under which it is entitled to any right or benefit, in connection with the offering,
sale or purchase by the Underwriter of any of the Offered Shares which may be sold by the Selling Stockholder under this Agreement or
the consummation by the Selling Stockholder of any of the other transactions contemplated hereby.
(viii)
Disclosure Made by the Selling Stockholder in the Prospectus. All information furnished to the Company or the Underwriter
by or on behalf of the Selling Stockholder in writing expressly for use in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus is, and on the
Closing Time will be, true, correct, and complete in all material respects, and did not, as of the Applicable Time, and on the Closing
Time and the Date of Delivery will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary
to make such information not misleading, it being understood and agreed that for purposes of this Agreement, the only information furnished
by the Selling Stockholder (the “Selling Stockholder Information”) consists of the number of offered shares and the
address and other information (excluding percentages) with respect to the Selling Stockholder which appears in the Preliminary Prospectus
and the Prospectus in the table (and corresponding footnotes) under the caption “Selling Stockholder.”
(x)
No Price Stabilization or Manipulation; Compliance with Regulation M. The Selling Stockholder has not taken, directly or
indirectly, any action designed to or that might cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Offered Shares or
any reference security, whether to facilitate the sale or resale of the Offered Shares or otherwise, and has taken no action which would
directly or indirectly violate any provision of Regulation M.
15
(xi)
Distribution of Offering Materials by the Selling Stockholder. Prior to the completion of the Underwriter’s distribution
of the Offered Shares, the Selling Stockholder has not distributed and will not distribute any offering material in connection with the
offering and sale of the Offered Shares other than the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(xiii)
Sanctions. The Selling Stockholder is not currently the subject or the target of Sanctions and will not directly or indirectly
use the proceeds of this offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, or any joint venture
partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person that at the time of such financing, is the
subject or the target of Sanctions or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating
in the transaction whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of applicable Sanctions. For the past five years, the Selling
Stockholder and its subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in and are not now knowingly engaged in any dealings or transactions with
any person that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject or the target of Sanctions or with any country or territory
that is the subject of Sanctions.
(xiv)
Anti-Corruption Laws. The operations of such Selling Stockholder and each of
its subsidiaries are conducted in material compliance with applicable Anti-Corruption Laws, and
no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving such Selling
Stockholder or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Corruption Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of such Selling Stockholder,
threatened. Such Selling Stockholder will not use, directly or knowingly indirectly, the
proceeds of the offering in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything
else of value, to any person in violation of any applicable Anti-Corruption Laws.
(xv)
Anti-Money Laundering Laws. the operations of such Selling Stockholder and each of its subsidiaries are conducted in material
compliance with all applicable Anti-Money Laundering Laws, and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency,
authority or body or any arbitrator involving such Selling Stockholder or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering
Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of such Selling Stockholder, threatened.
(xvi)
ERISA. The Selling Stockholder is not (A) an employee benefit plan subject to Title I of ERISA, (B) a plan or account subject
to Section 4975 of the Code or (C) an entity deemed to hold “plan assets” of any such plan or account under Section 3(42)
of ERISA, 29 C.F.R. 2510.3-101, or otherwise.
(xvii)
No Association with FINRA. Neither the Selling Stockholder nor any of its affiliates directly, or indirectly through one
or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with any member firm of FINRA or is a person associated
with a member (within the meaning of the FINRA By-Laws) of FINRA. None of the proceeds received by the Selling Stockholder from the sale
of the Offered Shares will be paid to a member of FINRA or any affiliate of such member participating in the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement.
Any certificate signed by the Selling Stockholder
and delivered to the Underwriter or to counsel for the Underwriter shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Selling Stockholder
to the Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.
The Selling Stockholder has a reasonable basis
for making each of the representations set forth in this Section 1(b). The Selling Stockholder acknowledges that the Underwriter and,
for purposes of the opinion to be delivered hereby, counsel to the Selling Stockholder and counsel to the Underwriter, will rely upon
the accuracy and truthfulness of the foregoing representations and hereby consents to such reliance.
(c)
Officer’s Certificates. Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries delivered
to the Representative or to counsel for the Underwriter shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriter
as to the matters covered thereby.
16
SECTION 2.
Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing.
(a)
Offered Shares. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions
herein set forth, the Selling Stockholder agrees to sell to the Underwriter an aggregate of 3,454,756 Offered Shares. On the basis of
the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, and upon the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Underwriter agrees
to purchase from the Selling Stockholder the number of Offered Shares set forth opposite its name on Schedule A. The purchase price
per Offered Share to be paid by the Underwriter to the Selling Stockholder shall be $18.425 per share.
(b)
Payment. Payment of the purchase price for the Offered Shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholder shall be made by wire
transfer in immediately available funds to the account specified by the Selling Stockholder, at the offices of White & Case LLP, or
at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company, at 10:00 A.M. (New York City time) on May 19, 2026
(unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10), or such other time not later than ten business days after such
date as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called “Closing
Time”). Delivery of the Offered Shares at the Closing Time shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company
unless the Representative shall otherwise instruct.
It is understood that the
Underwriter has authorized the Representative, for its account, to accept delivery of, receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price
for, the Offered Shares which it has agreed to purchase. BTIG, individually and not as representative of the Underwriters, may (but shall
not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase price for the Offered Shares to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not
been received by the Closing Time, but such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.
SECTION 3.
Covenants of the Company and Selling Stockholder. The Company and the Selling Stockholder (to the extent specified below)
covenant with the Underwriter as follows:
(a)
Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests. The Company, subject to Section 3(b), will comply with the
requirements of Rule 430B, and will notify the Representative as soon as practicable, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any
post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement shall become effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus shall have
been filed, (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment
to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus (including any document incorporated by reference therein)
or for additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement or any post-effective amendment or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus,
or of the suspension of the qualification of the Offered Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening
of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the Securities Act concerning the
Registration Statement and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act. The Company
will effect all filings required under Rule 424(b), in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance
on Rule 424(b)(8)), and will take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for
filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus.
The Company will make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop order, prevention or suspension and, if any such order
is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.
17
(b)
Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company will comply with the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations,
the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Offered Shares as contemplated
in this Agreement and in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus
relating to the Offered Shares is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172 under the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule
172”), would be) required by the Securities Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Offered Shares, any event shall
occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriter or for the Company,
to (i) amend the Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement will not include an untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) amend
or supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order that the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the
case may be, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser or (iii) amend
the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, in order to comply
with the requirements of the Securities Act or the Securities Act Regulations, the Company will promptly (A) give the Representative notice
of such event, (B) prepare any amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus comply with such requirements and, a reasonable amount of time prior to any
proposed filing or use, furnish the Representative with copies of any such amendment or supplement and (C) file with the Commission any
such amendment or supplement; provided that the Company shall not file or use any such amendment or supplement to which the Representative
or counsel for the Underwriter shall object. The Company will furnish to the Underwriter such number of copies of such amendment or supplement
as the Underwriter may reasonably request. The Company has given the Representative notice of any filings made pursuant to the Exchange
Act or the Exchange Act Regulations within 48 hours prior to the Applicable Time; the Company will give the Representative notice of its
intention to make any such filing from the Applicable Time to the Closing Time and will furnish the Representative with copies of any
such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document
to which the Representative or counsel for the Underwriter shall reasonably object.
(c)
Delivery of Registration Statements. The Company has furnished or will deliver to the Representative and counsel for the
Underwriter, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (including exhibits
filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein and documents incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference therein) and signed
copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the Representative, without charge, a conformed copy of the
Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for the Underwriter. The copies of the Registration
Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriter will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed
with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S--T.
(d)
Delivery of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered to the Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each preliminary
prospectus as the Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by
the Securities Act. The Company will furnish to the Underwriter, without charge, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Offered
Shares is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the Securities Act, such number of
copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as the Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or
supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriter will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission
pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S--T.
(e)
Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will use its best efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriter, to qualify the Offered
Shares for offering and sale under (or obtain exemptions from the application of) the applicable securities laws of such states and other
jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Representative may designate and to comply with such laws and maintain such qualifications,
registrations and exemptions in effect so long as required to complete the distribution of the Offered Shares; provided, however, that
the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer
in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any
jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject. The Company will advise the Representative promptly of the suspension of the qualification
or registration of (or any such exemption relating to) the Offered Shares for offering, sale or trading in any jurisdiction or any initiation
or threat of any proceeding for any such purpose, and in the event of the issuance of any order suspending such qualification, registration
or exemption, the Company shall use its best efforts to obtain the withdrawal thereof at the earliest possible moment.
18
(f)
Rule 158. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the Exchange Act as are necessary in order to make generally
available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an earning statement for the purposes of, and to provide to the Underwriters the
benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act.
(g)
Listing. The Company will use its best efforts to effect and maintain the listing of the Common Shares (including the Offered
Shares) on the Exchange.
(h)
Restriction on Sale of Common Shares. During a period of 60 days from and including the date of the Prospectus, the Company
will not, without the prior written consent of the Representative (which consent may be withheld in its sole discretion), (i) directly
or indirectly, offer, pledge, lend, sell, contract to sell or lend, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract
to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of any Common Shares or any securities convertible
into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Shares or file or confidentially submit any registration statement under the Securities
Act with respect to any of the foregoing, (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole
or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Common Shares, whether any such swap or transaction described
in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Shares or such other securities, in cash or otherwise, or (iii) publicly
announce an intention to effect any such swap, agreement or other transaction described in clauses (i) and (ii). The foregoing sentence
shall not apply to (A) the Offered Shares to be sold hereunder; (B) any Common Shares issued by the Company upon the exercise of an option
or warrant or the conversion of a convertible security outstanding on the date hereof and referred to in the Registration Statement, the
General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; (C) grants, or settlement in Common Stock, of stock options, stock awards, restricted stock,
restricted stock units, performance units, or other equity awards and the issuance of Common Shares in settlement of any such existing
award granted under employee benefit plans, including any inducement awards, of the Company referred to in the Registration Statement,
the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; (D) any Common Shares issued pursuant to any existing non-employee director stock plan
or deferral plan or dividend reinvestment plan referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus;
or (E) the filing by the Company of any registration statement on Form S-8 or a successor form thereto.
(i)
Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period when a Prospectus relating to the Offered Shares is (or, but for
the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the Securities Act, will file all documents required to be
filed with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act within the time periods required by the Exchange Act and Exchange Act Regulations.
Additionally, the Company shall report the use of proceeds from the issuance of the Offered Shares as may be required under Rule 463 under
the Securities Act.
(j)
Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representative,
it will not make any offer relating to the Offered Shares that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise
constitute a “free writing prospectus,” or a portion thereof, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained
by the Company under Rule 433; provided that the Representative will be deemed to have consented to the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses
listed on Schedule B-2 hereto and any “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i)
that has been reviewed by the Representative. The Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each such free writing
prospectus consented to, or deemed consented to, by the Representative as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined
in Rule 433, and that it has complied and will comply with the applicable requirements of Rule 433 with respect thereto, including timely
filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus
there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict
with the information contained in the Registration Statement which has not been superseded or modified, any preliminary prospectus or
the Prospectus or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary
in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company
will promptly notify the Representative and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus
to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission; provided, however, that prior to amending or supplementing any such
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Company shall furnish to the Representative for review, a reasonable amount of time prior to the proposed
time of filing or use thereof, a copy of such proposed amended or supplemented Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and the Company shall not
file, use or refer to any such amended or supplemented Issuer Free Writing Prospectus without the Representative’s prior written
consent.
19
(k)
Filing of Underwriter Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company shall not take any action that would result in an Underwriter
or the Company being required to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of
such Underwriter that such Underwriter otherwise would not have been required to file thereunder.
(l)
Testing-the-Waters Materials. If at any time following the distribution of any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication
there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication included or would
include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Representative
and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication to eliminate or correct such
untrue statement or omission.
(m)
No Stabilization or Manipulation; Compliance with Regulation M. The Selling Stockholder will not take, directly or indirectly,
any action designed to or that might cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Offered Shares or any reference
security with respect to the Offered Shares, whether to facilitate the sale or resale of the Offered Shares or otherwise, and the Selling
Stockholder will, and shall cause each of its affiliates to, comply with all applicable provisions of Regulation M.
(n)
Notification. The Selling Stockholder will advise the Representative promptly, and if requested by the Representative, will
confirm such advice in writing, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Offered Shares is required by the Securities Act to
be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act or any similar rule), of (i) any Material
Adverse Effect, (ii) any change in information in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, any free writing prospectus,
the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto relating to the Selling Stockholder, or (iii) any new material information
relating to the Company or relating to any matter stated in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus
that comes to the attention of the Selling Stockholder.
(o)
Delivery of Form W-9. To deliver to the Representative prior to the Closing Time a properly completed and executed United
States Treasury Department Form W-9.
SECTION 4.
Payment of Expenses.
(a)
Expenses. The Company agrees to pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under
this Agreement, including, (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and
exhibits) as originally filed and each amendment thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriter of copies
of each preliminary prospectus, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and any
costs associated with electronic delivery of any of the foregoing by the Underwriter to investors, (iii) the preparation, issuance and
delivery of the certificates or security entitlements for the Offered Shares to the Underwriter, including any stock or other transfer
taxes and any stamp or other duties payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Offered Shares to the Underwriter, (iv) the
fees and disbursements of the Company’s counsel, accountants and other advisors, (v) the qualification or registration (or
exemption from the qualification or registration) of the Offered Shares under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(e)
hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriter in connection therewith and in
connection with the preparation of a “Blue Sky Survey” and any supplement thereto, (vi) the fees and expenses of any transfer
agent or registrar for the Offered Shares, (vii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road
show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the Offered Shares, including without limitation, expenses associated with
the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations,
travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, and the cost of aircraft and
other transportation chartered in connection with the road show, (viii) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements
of counsel to the Underwriter in connection with, the review by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the Offered Shares (such reimbursement,
together with the reimbursements set forth in (v) above, not to exceed $15,000), (ix) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with
the listing of the Offered Shares on the Exchange, and (x) the costs and expenses (including, without limitation, any damages or other
amounts payable in connection with legal or contractual liability) associated with the reforming of any contracts for sale of the Offered
Shares made by the Underwriter caused by a breach of the representation contained in the third sentence of Section 1(a)(ii).
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The Selling Stockholder further agrees with the
Underwriter to pay (directly or by reimbursement) all fees and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement
that are not otherwise specifically provided for herein, including but not limited to (i) fees and expenses of counsel for the Selling
Stockholder, and (ii) expenses and taxes incident to the sale and delivery of the Offered Shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholder
to the Underwriter hereunder; provided, it is understood and agreed that the Company shall bear, and the Selling Stockholder shall not
be required to pay or to reimburse the Company for, the cost of any other matters not directly relating to the sale and purchase of the
Shares pursuant to this Agreement.
(b)
Termination of Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated by the Representative in accordance with the provisions of Section 5,
Section 9 or Section 10 hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriter for all of their reasonably documented out--of--pocket
expenses, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriter.
SECTION 5.
Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the Underwriter hereunder are subject to the accuracy
of the representations and warranties of the Company and the Selling Stockholder contained herein or in certificates of any officer of
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company and the Selling
Stockholder of their respective covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:
(a)
Effectiveness of Registration Statement. The Registration Statement has become effective and, at the Closing Time, no stop
order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the Securities
Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for
any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated; the Prospectus and each
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission under the Securities Act (in the case of an Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus, to the extent required by Rule 433); and the Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for
additional information to the reasonable satisfaction of counsel to the Underwriter.
(b)
Opinion of Counsel for Company. At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have received the opinion and the negative
assurance letter, each dated the Closing Time, of Kelley Drye & Warren LLP, counsel for the Company, dated as of such date, and substance
reasonably satisfactory to the Representative.
(c)
Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have received the opinion and negative
assurance letter, each dated the Closing Time, of White & Case LLP, counsel for the Underwriter, together with signed or reproduced
copies of such letters for the Underwriter in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative.
(d)
Officers’ Certificate. At the Closing Time, there shall not have been, since the date hereof or since the respective
dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any material adverse
change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries
considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, and the Representative shall have received a
certificate of the principal executive officer of the Company and of the principal financial officer of the Company, dated the Closing
Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no such material adverse change, (ii) the representations and warranties of the Company
in this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Time, (iii) the
Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing
Time, and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement under the Securities Act has been issued,
no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of
those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to their knowledge, contemplated.
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(e)
Accountant’s Comfort Letter. At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the Representative shall have received
from Grant Thornton LLP a letter, dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative, together with signed or reproduced
copies of such letter for the Underwriter containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’
“comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in
the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(f)
Bring-down Comfort Letter. At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have received from Grant Thornton LLP a letter,
dated as of the Closing Time, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (e)
of this Section, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to the Closing Time.
(g)
Opinion of Counsel for the Selling Stockholder. At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have received the opinion
of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen and Katz, counsel for the Selling Stockholder, dated as of such date, and substance reasonably satisfactory
to the Representative.
(h)
Selling Stockholder’s Certificate. At the Closing Time, the Representative shall receive a written certificate of
the Selling Stockholder, dated as of such date, to the effect that:
(i)
the representations, warranties and covenants of the Selling Stockholder set forth in Section 1(b) of this Agreement are true
and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made by the Selling Stockholder on and as of such date; and
(ii)
such Selling Stockholder has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied
at or prior to such date in all material respects.
(i)
Approval of Listing. At the Closing Time, the Offered Shares shall have been approved for listing on the Exchange.
(j)
No Objection. FINRA has confirmed that it has not raised any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of
the underwriting terms and arrangements relating to the offering of the Offered Shares.
(k)
Lock-up Agreements. At the date of this Agreement, the Representative shall have received an agreement substantially in
the form of Exhibit A hereto signed by all of the Company’s directors and executive officers.
(l)
No Rating. Neither the Company nor its Subsidiaries have any debt securities or preferred stock that are rated by any “nationally
recognized statistical rating agency” (as defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the 1934 Act).
(m)
Additional Documents. At the Closing Time, counsel for the Underwriter shall have been furnished with such other documents
and opinions as they may reasonably require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Offered Shares
as herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of
the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Offered Shares
as herein contemplated shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representative and counsel for the Underwriter.
(n)
Termination of Agreement. If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required
to be fulfilled, this Agreement may be terminated by the Representative by notice to the Company or the Selling Stockholder at any time
at or prior to Closing Time, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section
4 and except that Sections 1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 13, 15, 16 and 17 shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.
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SECTION 6.
Indemnification.
(a)
Indemnification of Underwriters by the Company. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriter, its affiliates
(as such term is defined in Rule 501(b) under the Securities Act (each, an “Affiliate”)), its directors, officers,
members, partners, employees and selling agents and each person, if any, who controls the Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15
of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act as follows:
(i) against
any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be
a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact included (A) in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, the
General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or (B) in any materials or information provided
to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Offered Shares (“Marketing
Materials”), including any roadshow or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically),
or the omission or alleged omission in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Written Testing-the-Waters
Communication, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or in any Marketing Materials of
a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
(ii) against
any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement
of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever
based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section
6(e) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company;
(iii) against
any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the reasonable and documented fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Representative),
reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental
agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged
untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above;
provided, however, that this
indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement
or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information
deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto)
in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.
(b)
Indemnification of Underwriter by Selling Stockholder. The Selling Stockholder agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the
Underwriter, its Affiliates, its directors, officers, members, partners, employees, its selling agents and each person, if any, who controls
the Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act as follows:
(i)
against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information
deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement
of a material fact included (A) in any Marketing Materials, including any roadshow or investor presentations made to investors by the
Company (whether in person or electronically), or the omission or alleged omission in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement
thereto) or in any Marketing Materials of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading;
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(ii) against
any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement
of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever
based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section
6(e) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company;
(iii) against
any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the reasonable and documented fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Representative),
reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental
agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged
untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above;
provided, however, that this
indemnity agreement shall only apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement
or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information
deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto)
in reliance upon and in conformity with the Selling Stockholder Information.
(c)
Indemnification of Company, Selling Stockholder and their Respective Directors and Officers. The Underwriter severally agrees
to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement, and the Selling
Stockholder, and their respective directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls the Company or the Selling Stockholder,
as the case may be, within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, against any and all loss,
liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in subsection (a) of this Section, as incurred, but only with
respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment
thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus
(or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.
(d)
Indemnification of Selling Stockholder by the Company. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Selling Stockholder,
its Affiliates, and its and their directors, officers, members, partners, employees, and each person, if any, who controls the Selling
Stockholder within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, against any losses, claims,
damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which the Selling Stockholder may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise,
insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement
or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, any preliminary
prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement
thereto, or in any Marketing Materials or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse the Selling Stockholder
for any documented legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Selling Stockholder in connection with investigating or defending
any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such case loss,
claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission
made in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any
Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or in any Marketing Materials, in
reliance upon and in conformity with Selling Stockholder Information or Underwriter Information.
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(e)
Actions against Parties; Notification. Each indemnified party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to
each indemnifying party of any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify
an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced
as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity
agreement. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Sections 6(a) and 6(b) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected
by the Representative, and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(c) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall
be selected by the Company. An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action; provided, however,
that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except with the consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified
party. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition
to any local counsel) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar
or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall,
without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect
to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever
in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified
parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release
of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include
a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
(f)
Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying
party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for
any settlement of the nature contemplated by Sections 6(a)(ii) and 6(b)(ii) hereof effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement
is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall
have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying
party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.
SECTION 7.
Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient
to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein, then each
indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such
indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company or Selling
Stockholder, as applicable, on the one hand, and the Underwriter, on the other hand, from the offering of the Offered Shares pursuant
to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate
to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company or Selling Stockholder,
as applicable, on the one hand, and of the Underwriter, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted
in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.
The relative benefits received
by Selling Stockholder, on the one hand, and the Underwriter, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Offered Shares
pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the
Offered Shares pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Selling Stockholder, on the one hand, and the total
underwriting discount received by the Underwriter, on the other hand, in each case as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to
the aggregate public offering price of the Offered Shares as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus.
The relative fault of the
Company or Selling Stockholder, as applicable, on the one hand, and the Underwriter, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference
to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state
a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or Selling Stockholder, as applicable or by the Underwriter and the parties’
relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
25
The Company or Selling Stockholder
and the Underwriter agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata
allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this
Section 7. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to
above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in investigating,
preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened,
or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
Notwithstanding the provisions
of this Section 7, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting discounts and commissions received
by such Underwriter in connection with the Offered Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public.
No person guilty of fraudulent
misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was
not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
For purposes of this Section
7, each person, if any, who controls the Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange
Act and the Underwriter’s Affiliates, its directors, officers, members, partners, employees and selling agents shall have the same
rights to contribution as the Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement,
the Selling Stockholder and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section
20 of the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company. The Underwriter’s obligations to contribute pursuant
to this Section 7 are several in proportion to the number of Offered Shares set forth opposite its name in Schedule A hereto
and not joint.
SECTION 8.
Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive. All representations, warranties, indemnities, rights of contribution,
agreements and other statements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries submitted
pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of the Underwriter
or its Affiliates, its directors, officers, members, partners, employees or selling agents, any person controlling the Underwriter, its
officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (ii) delivery of and payment for the Offered Shares.
SECTION 9.
Termination of Agreement.
(a)
Termination. The Representative may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Company and the Selling Stockholder, at any
time at or prior to the Closing Time (i) if there has been, in the judgment of the Representative, since the time of execution of this
Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package
or the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business
prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business,
(ii) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial
markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective
change in U.S. or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in
the judgment of the Representative, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the completion of the offering or to enforce contracts
for the sale of the Offered Shares, (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended or materially limited by
the Commission or the Exchange, (iv) if trading generally on the New York Stock Exchange or in the exchanges operated by the Nasdaq Stock
Market LLC has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices
have been required, by any of said exchanges or by order of the Commission, FINRA or any other governmental authority, (v) a material
disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States or with respect to Clearstream
or Euroclear systems in Europe, or (vi) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either Federal or New York authorities.
(b)
Liabilities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section, such termination shall be without liability of any
party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 hereof, and provided further that Sections 1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 15, 16 and 17 shall
survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.
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SECTION 10.
Default by One or More of the Underwriters. If one or more of the Underwriters shall fail at the Closing Time to purchase
the Offered Shares which it or they are obligated to purchase under this Agreement (the “Defaulted Securities”), the
Representative shall have the right, within 24 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters,
or any other underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and
upon the terms herein set forth; if, however, the Representative shall not have completed such arrangements within such 24-hour period,
then:
(i)
if the number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the number of Offered Shares to be purchased on such date, each of
the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions
that their respective underwriting obligations hereunder bear to the underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters, or
(ii)
if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the number of Offered Shares to be purchased on such date, this Agreement
shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter, except that Sections 1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 15, 16 and 17 shall
survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.
No action taken pursuant to
this Section 10 shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.
In the event of any such default
which does not result in a termination of this Agreement, either the (i) Representative or (ii) the Selling Stockholder shall have the
right to postpone Closing Time for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the Registration Statement,
the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements. As used herein, the term “Underwriter”
includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section 10.
SECTION 11.
Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed
or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriter shall be directed to BTIG, LLC at 65 East 55th
Street, New York, NY 10022, Attention: Michael Passaro, mpassaro@btig.com, with a copy to 65 East 55th Street, New York, NY 10022, Attention:
General Counsel (IBLegal@btig.com), with copies to White & Case LLP, 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020, Attention: Drew
Valentine, Adam Johnson (drew.valentine@whitecase.com; adam.johnson@whitecase.com). Notices to the Company shall be directed to it at
6431 West Oakton St., Morton Grove, IL 60053, Attention: Secretary, with copies to Kelley Drye & Warren LLP, 333 West Wacker Drive,
26th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606, Attention: Timothy Lavender (tlavender@kelleydrye.com). Notices to the Selling Stockholder shall be directed
to Danone USA Public Benefit Corporation, 1 Maple Avenue, White Plains, NY 10605, Attention: Nancy Dowling (***@danone.com) and Danone
S.A., 59-61 rue La Fayette, 75009 Paris, France, Attention: Samantha Loh (***@danone.com), with copies to Wachtell Lipton Rosen &
Katz, 51 West 52nd Street, New York, NY 10019, Attention: Joshua R. Cammaker, Joseph S. Payne (jrcammaker@wlrk.com; jspayne@wlrk.com).
SECTION 12.
No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. The Company and the Selling Stockholder acknowledge and agree that (a) the purchase
and sale of the Offered Shares pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the public offering price of the Offered Shares
and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between them, on the one hand, and the Underwriter,
on the other hand, (b) in connection with the offering of the Offered Shares and the process leading thereto, the Underwriter is and has
been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, the Selling Stockholder, any of its Subsidiaries or
their respective stockholders, creditors, employees or any other party, (c) the Underwriter has not assumed or will not assume an advisory
or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the offering of the Offered Shares or the process leading thereto
(irrespective of whether the Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company or any of its Subsidiaries on other matters)
and the Underwriter has no obligation to the Company with respect to the offering of the Offered Shares except the obligations expressly
set forth in this Agreement, (d) the Underwriter and its affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests
that differ from those of the Company and (e) the Underwriter has not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect
to the offering of the Offered Shares and the Company and the Selling Stockholder have consulted their own respective legal, accounting,
regulatory and tax advisors to the extent they deemed appropriate.
27
SECTION 13.
Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes. In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity becomes subject
to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Underwriter of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation
in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution
Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United
States.
In the event that any Underwriter
that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime,
Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent
than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the
United States or a state of the United States.
For purposes of this Agreement,
(A) “BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance
with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k); (B) “Covered Entity” means any of the following: (i) a “covered entity” as that
term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b); (ii) a “covered bank” as that term is
defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or (iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined
in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b); (C) “Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term
in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable; and (D) “U.S. Special
Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title
II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
SECTION 14.
Parties. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriter, the Company and the Selling Stockholder
and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person,
firm or corporation, other than the Underwriter, the Company and the Selling Stockholder and their respective successors and the controlling
persons and officers and directors referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable
right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and
provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Underwriter, the Company and the Selling Stockholder and
their respective successors, and said controlling persons and officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for
the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Offered Shares from the Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor
by reason merely of such purchase.
SECTION 15.
Waiver of Trial by Jury. The Company and the Selling Stockholder (on their behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable
law, on behalf of their respective stockholders and affiliates) and the Underwriter hereby irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted
by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions
contemplated hereby.
SECTION 16.
GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY OR DISPUTE ARISING UNDER OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE
GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF, THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO ITS CHOICE OF LAW PROVISIONS.
SECTION 17.
Consent to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Immunity. Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement
or the transactions contemplated hereby shall be instituted in (i) the federal courts of the United States of America located in
the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan or (ii) the courts of the State of New York located in the City and County
of New York, Borough of Manhattan (collectively, the “Specified Courts”), and each party irrevocably submits to the
exclusive jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any such court, as to which such
jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document
by mail to such party’s address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought
in any such court. The parties irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or other
proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any such court that any
such suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.
28
SECTION 18.
TIME. TIME SHALL BE OF THE ESSENCE OF THIS AGREEMENT. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER
TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.
SECTION 19.
Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall
not affect the validity or enforceability of any other Section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any Section, paragraph or provision
of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and
only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.
SECTION 20.
Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by
any standard form of telecommunication), each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute
one and the same agreement. Counterparts may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including any electronic signature covered by
the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, the Electronic Signatures and Records Act or other applicable
law, e.g., www.docusign.com) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly
delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.
SECTION 21.
Effect of Headings. The Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
SECTION
22. Entire Agreement; Amendment;
Waiver. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company, the Selling
Stockholder and the Underwriter, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof. No amendment or waiver of any provision of
this Agreement, nor any consent or approval to any departure therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing
and signed by the parties hereto. No implied waiver by a party shall arise in the absence of a waiver in writing signed by such party.
No failure or delay in exercising any right, power, or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or
partial exercise thereof preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any right, power, or privilege hereunder.
SECTION 23.
General Provisions. Each of the parties hereto acknowledges that it is a sophisticated business person who was adequately
represented by counsel during negotiations regarding the provisions hereof, including, without limitation, the indemnification provisions
of Section 6 and the contribution provisions of Section 7, and is fully informed regarding said provisions. Each of the parties hereto
further acknowledges that the provisions of Section 6 and Section 7 hereof fairly allocate the risks in light of the ability of the parties
to investigate the Company, its affairs and its business in order to assure that adequate disclosure has been made in the Registration
Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the General Disclosure Package, each free writing prospectus and the Prospectus (and any amendments
and supplements to the foregoing), as contemplated by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.
[SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW]
29
If the foregoing is in accordance
with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to the Company a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along
with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement among the Underwriter, the Company and the Selling Stockholder in accordance with
its terms.
Very truly yours,
LIFEWAY FOODS, INC.
By: /s/ Julie Smolyansky
Name: Julie Smolyansky
Title: Chief Executive Officer
As Selling Stockholder
DANONE USA PUBLIC BENEFIT CORPORATION
By: /s/ Stéphane Gayet
Name: Stéphane Gayet
Title: Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer
CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED
As of the date first above written:
BTIG, LLC
By: /s/ Michael Passaro
Name: Michael Passaro
Title: Head of Capital Markets
For itself and as Representative of the Underwriters named in Schedule A
hereto.
[Signature Page to Underwriting
Agreement]
SCHEDULE A
Name of Underwriter
Number of
offered Shares
BTIG, LLC
3,454,756
Total
3,454,756
SCHEDULE B
Name of Selling Stockholder
Number of
Offered Shares
Danone USA Public Benefit Corporation
3,454,756
Total
3,454,756
SCHEDULE B-1
Pricing Terms
1. The
Selling Stockholder is selling 3,454,756 Common Shares.
2. The initial public offering
price per share for the Offered Shares shall be $19.50.
SCHEDULE B-2
Free Writing Prospectuses
None
SCHEDULE B-3
List of Written Testing-the-Waters Communications
None
SCHEDULE 1(a)(xiii)
[Intentionally Omitted]
SCHEDULE 1(a)(xiv)
[Intentionally Omitted]
EXHIBIT A
Form of Lock-Up Agreement
[Intentionally Omitted]
EX-5.1 — OPINION
EX-5.1
Filename: lifeway_ex0501.htm · Sequence: 3
Exhibit 5.1
Kelley Drye & Warren LLP
333 West Wacker Drive
26th Floor
Chicago, Illinois 60606
Tel: (312) 857-7076
May 14, 2026
Lifeway Foods, Inc.
6431 West Oakton
Morton Grove, IL 60053
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We are acting as special counsel to Lifeway Foods,
Inc., an Illinois corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the preparation and filing with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) of a Registration Statement on Form S-3, No. 333-291148, and a prospectus supplement
thereto dated May 14, 2026 (collectively, the “Registration Statement”), relating to the registration of the resale
of 3,454,756 shares of the Company’s common stock, no par value (the “Shares”), by the Selling Stockholder (as
defined below). This Registration Statement is being filed pursuant to the Cooperation Agreement, dated September 30, 2025 (the “Cooperation
Agreement”), between the Company and Danone USA Public Benefit Corporation f/k/a Danone North America PBC, a Delaware public
benefit corporation (the “Selling Stockholder”).
In connection with this opinion, we have examined
and relied upon copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction of: (i) the Cooperation Agreement; (ii) the Registration
Statement, together with exhibits and schedules thereto, in the form filed with the Commission; (iii) the Company’s Articles of
Incorporation, as amended to date; (iv) the Company’s Second Amended and Restated By-Laws, as amended to date; and (v) the records
of corporate proceedings of the Company relating to the Shares, as made available to us by officers of the Company; and have reviewed
such matters of law as we have deemed necessary or appropriate for the purpose of rendering this opinion.
For purposes of this opinion we have assumed the
authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to originals of all documents submitted to us as certified
or photostatic copies, and the authenticity of the originals of all documents submitted to us as copies. We have also assumed the legal
capacity of all natural persons, the genuineness of all signatures on all documents examined by us, including signatures made and/or transmitted
using electronic signature technology (e.g., via DocuSign or similar electronic signature technology), and that any such signed electronic
record shall be valid and as effective to bind the party so signing as a paper copy bearing such party’s handwritten signature.
As to certain factual matters material to the opinion expressed herein, we have relied to the extent we deemed proper upon representations
and certifications as to factual matters of officers and other representatives of the Company. Our opinion expressed below is subject
to the qualification that we express no opinion as to any law other than the Business Corporation Act of the State of Illinois and the
federal laws of the United States of America. Without limiting the foregoing, we express no opinion with respect to the applicability
thereto or effect of municipal laws or the rules, regulations or orders of any municipal agencies within any such state.
Based
upon and subject to the foregoing qualifications, assumptions and limitations and the further limitations set forth below, it is our opinion
that the Shares are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
This opinion is limited to the specific issues addressed
herein, and no opinion may be inferred or implied beyond that expressly stated herein. We assume no obligation to revise or supplement
this opinion should the present Business Corporation Act of the State of Illinois or the federal laws of the United States of America
be changed by legislative action, judicial decision or otherwise.
We hereby consent to the filing of this letter as
an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the reference to our firm under the heading “Legal Matters” in the Registration
Statement. In giving such consent, we do not admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of
the Securities Act of 1933 or the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
This opinion is furnished to you in connection with
the filing of the Registration Statement and is not to be used, circulated, quoted or otherwise relied upon for any other purpose.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Kelley Drye & Warren LLP
EX-99.1 — PRESS RELEASE DATED MAY 14, 2026
EX-99.1
Filename: lifeway_ex9901.htm · Sequence: 4
Exhibit 99.1
Lifeway Foods Announces Pricing of Secondary
Underwritten Public Offering of Common Stock
Morton Grove, IL — May 14, 2026 —
Lifeway Foods, Inc. (Nasdaq: LWAY) (“Lifeway” or the “Company”) today announced the pricing of a secondary underwritten
public offering (the “Offering”) of 3,454,756 shares of its common stock (“Common Stock”) by Danone USA Public
Benefit Corporation (the “Selling Stockholder”) at a price to the public of $19.50 per share.
The Offering consists entirely of shares of Common
Stock being sold by the Selling Stockholder and is expected to close on May 19, 2026, subject to customary closing conditions. The Company
is not selling any shares of Common Stock in the Offering and will not receive any proceeds from the Offering. The Company has agreed
to repurchase approximately $5.0 million of the Shares in the Offering at the same per share price to be paid by investors in the Offering
(the “Share Repurchase”). The Offering is not conditioned upon the completion of the Share Repurchase, but the share repurchase
is conditioned upon the completion of the Offering.
BTIG is acting as the sole book-running manager
for the Offering.
The Offering is being made pursuant to a shelf
registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-291148) that was previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”)
and declared effective by the SEC on December 10, 2025. A preliminary prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus relating to and
describing the terms of the Offering is available on the SEC's website located at www.sec.gov. Copies of the final prospectus supplement
and the accompanying prospectus relating to the Offering may also be obtained, when available, by contacting: BTIG, LLC, 65 East 55th
Street, New York, New York 10022, Attn: Syndicate Department, BTIGSyndicateCoverage@btig.com.
This press release does not constitute an offer
to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities, and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any jurisdiction
in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of that jurisdiction.
About Lifeway Foods, Inc.
Lifeway Foods, Inc., which has been recognized
as one of America's Growth Leaders by TIME, as Dairy Foods' Processor of the Year 2025, one of Forbes' Best Small Companies and named
to Inc.'s 2025 Best in Business list in the Best Challenger Brands category, is America's leading supplier of the probiotic, fermented
beverage known as kefir. In addition to its line of drinkable kefir, the Company also produces a variety of cheeses and a ProBugs®
line for kids. Lifeway's tart and tangy fermented dairy products are now sold across the United States, Mexico, United Arab Emirates,
Central America and the Caribbean. Learn how Lifeway is good for more than just you at lifewayfoods.com.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements”
within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, including, without limitation, express or implied
statements related to Bel’s expectations regarding the timing and closing of the offering. The words “may,” “will,”
“could,” “would,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “intend,”
“believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “project,” “potential,” “continue,”
“seek,” “target” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all
forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Any forward-looking statements in this press release are based on management’s
current expectations and beliefs and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and important factors that may cause actual events
or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements contained in this press release. The
Company cautions you not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. The
Company disclaims any obligation to publicly update or revise any such statements to reflect any change in expectations or in events,
conditions or circumstances on which any such statements may be based, or that may affect the likelihood that actual results will differ
from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.
Derek Miller
Vice President of Communications, Lifeway Foods
Email: derekm@lifeway.net
General inquiries:
Lifeway Foods, Inc.
Phone: 847-967-1010
Email: info@lifeway.net
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