Related Party Transactions

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2024

Related Party Transactions [Abstract]

Related Party Transactions

Related Party Transactions

On April 6, 2022, the Company entered into a joint venture agreement (the "JV Agreement") to establish a new corporation, Bio Earth, to build a bagasse factory in Taiwan. The JV Agreement stipulated an investment by the Company of approximately $6,500,000 for a 49% interest in Bio Earth. During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company made payments of $5,876,000 and received a refund of $1,876,000 under the JV agreement. During the three months ended March 31, 2023, the Company made additional payments of $2,900,000 and received a refund of $900,000 under the JV Agreement.

On May 8 2023, the Company entered into a Share Transfer Agreement (the "Share Transfer Agreement"), with approval of the Board of Directors, to sell all of its equity interest in Bio Earth to Keary Global Ltd. ("Keary Global") for a total consideration of approximately $6,100,000 (the "Share Transfer"), representing the total net deposits made by the Company of $6,000,000 under the JV Agreement as discussed above and interest accruing at 5% per annum. Keary Global and its affiliate, Keary International are both owned or controlled by Jeff Yu, brother of the Company's Chief Executive Officer, Alan Yu. Concurrent with the Share Transfer Agreement, the Company also entered into an agreement with Keary Global, Bio Earth and Happiness Moon Co., Ltd. (“Happiness Moon”) pursuant to which (i) Lollicup agreed to transfer all Bio Earth shares, as well as its rights and obligations under the JV Agreement to Keary Global, (ii) Happiness Moon and Bio Earth agree to foregoing and (iii) Bio Earth shall manage the regulatory and registration requirements related to the Share Transfer.

As of the end of the second quarter of 2023, the Company had completed the Share Transfer to Keary Global and received the total consideration of $6,100,000 in full.

Keary Global Ltd. owns 250,004 shares of the Company's common stock as of March 31, 2024, which Keary Global acquired upon exercise of two convertible notes during the third quarter of 2018. In addition to being a stockholder, Keary Global and Keary International are inventory suppliers and purchasing agents for the Company overseas. The Company has entered into ongoing purchase and supply agreements with Keary Global. At March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company has accounts payable due to Keary Global and Keary International of $5,300,000 and $5,306,000, respectively. Purchases for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023 from this related party were $12,693,000 and $11,407,000, respectively.