Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 21, 2026) - Happy Belly Food Group Inc. (CSE: HBFG) (OTCQB: HBFGF) ("Happy Belly" or the "Company"), a leading consolidator of emerging restaurant brands, is pleased to announce that its Heal Wellness brand ("Heal") will celebrate the grand opening of its newest location in Sylvan Lake, Alberta, this Saturday, August 22^nd, at 5003 Lakeshore Drive. The location is owned and operated by an existing Heal franchisee as they expand their relationship with the brand as a multi-unit franchisee. The opening further advances Heal's disciplined, asset-light growth strategy as the brand continues to expand across Alberta's high-growth urban and suburban markets. Heal Wellness is a fast-growing quick-service restaurant ("QSR") brand specializing in fresh smoothie bowls, açaí bowls, and smoothies, built around clean ingredients and a better-for-you lifestyle.

Happy Belly 1

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"The grand opening of our newest location in Sylvan Lake reflects our continued focus on expanding Heal into strong, community-oriented markets with favorable demographic and traffic fundamentals," said Sean Black, Chief Executive Officer of Happy Belly Food Group. "This opening is especially meaningful as it is being led by an existing franchise partner who is expanding with us as a multi-unit franchisee, which is a strong validation of the brand, our model, and the opportunity ahead."

Sylvan Lake, Alberta, combines a growing local customer base with steady tourism demand and a lifestyle that naturally aligns with health, recovery, and wellness. With its lakefront identity, recreation, family-friendly tourism, locally owned shops, and a young, active community, Sylvan Lake is a natural fit for Heal's açaí and smoothie wellness offering. The location will serve residents, weekend visitors, athletes, busy parents, and vacationers seeking convenient, health-forward food options.

Heal Wellness continues to gain momentum as consumer demand for wellness-focused QSR concepts grows across Canada. With a scalable format, strong unit economics, and an expanding network of experienced franchise partners, Heal is well positioned to deepen its presence across Western Canada while continuing its expansion into additional Canadian and U.S. markets. The Sylvan Lake grand opening is another milestone in that growth strategy and demonstrates the continued momentum of Heal's franchise network delivering measurable results as we expand our brands across Canada and the U.S. to create long-term value for our shareholders.

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

About Heal Wellness
Heal Wellness was founded with a passion and mission to provide quick, fresh wellness foods that support a busy and active lifestyle. We currently offer a diverse range of smoothie bowls and smoothies. We take pride in meticulously selecting every superfood ingredient on our menu to fuel the body, including acai smoothie bowls, smoothies, and super-seed grain bowls. Our smoothie bowls are crafted with real fruit and enriched with superfoods like acai, pitaya, goji berries, chia seeds, and more.

Franchising
For franchising inquiries please see www.happybellyfg.com/franchise-with-us/ or contact us at hello@happybellyfg.com.

About Happy Belly Food Group
Happy Belly Food Group Inc. (CSE: HBFG) (OTCQB: HBFGF) ("Happy Belly" or the "Company") is a leader in acquiring and scaling emerging food brands across Canada.

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Sean Black
Co-founder, Chief Executive Officer

Shawn Moniz
Co-founder, President

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release, which has been prepared by management.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking information" with respect to the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-Looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur and include the future performance of Happy Belly and her subsidiaries. Forward-Looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements. There are uncertainties inherent in forward-looking information, including factors beyond the Company's control. There are no assurances that the business plans for Happy Belly described in this news release will come into effect on the terms or time frame described herein. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. For a description of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company and its business and affairs, readers should refer to the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis and other disclosure filings with Canadian securities regulators, which are posted on www.sedarplus.ca.

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