NEW YORK, May 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tradewinds Universal (OTCID: TRWD) today announced that it has retained legal counsel to initiate a corporate name and ticker symbol change, a significant milestone that underscores the Company’s ongoing evolution into a diversified experiential hospitality holding company. The move is consistent with the aggressive Q2 targets the Company outlined in March, which can be reviewed here.
The decision to rebrand reflects TRWD’s strategic and deliberate transition into the adult entertainment and experiential hospitality sector — encompassing the direct acquisition of venues, club management services, financial services, and affiliated brand operations. Central to this transition is the Company’s deepening relationship with Alan Chang, a 20-year veteran of the gentlemen’s club industry and founder of Peppermint Hippo, who is playing an increasingly central role in shaping TRWD’s operational direction. Peppermint Hippo and its affiliated entities, including Las Tóxicas, operate over 12 clubs nationwide — surpassing $30 million in revenue in 2025 — and represent the operational foundation on which TRWD is building its platform. The Company’s new name will reflect the vision that Chang and TRWD’s leadership are building together.
A special note to investors: because Tradewinds Universal is incorporated in the State of Wyoming, amendments to the Company’s Articles of Incorporation must be processed by mail through the Wyoming Secretary of State. Retained counsel has begun the process of selecting and reserving the Company’s new corporate name, and a formal announcement will be made as soon as the name is confirmed and approved by the Wyoming Secretary of State and other relevant parties.
Management anticipates this process will take approximately two to three weeks, after which the Company will submit a corporate action notice to FINRA pursuant to Rule 6490 to process the ticker symbol change. In parallel, TRWD intends to reserve its new symbol with NASDAQ as part of its broader uplisting strategy.
Current shareholders are not required to take any action at this time. All future filings and corporate communications will reflect the new name upon confirmation.
“This name change is one of the most exciting moments in TRWD’s history,” said Andrew Read, CEO. “We are not just changing a name — we are staking our claim. We have the right partner in Alan Chang, we have a proven brand in Peppermint Hippo that did over $30 million in revenue last year, and we have a clear roadmap to 100 venues. The new name will reflect everything we are building — a fully integrated, publicly traded experiential hospitality company unlike anything this industry has ever seen. Investors who are paying attention right now are watching this company transform in real time.”
About Peppermint Hippo
Founded in 2018 by Alan Chang, Peppermint Hippo has grown from a single location in Toledo, Ohio, into one of the fastest-expanding brands in adult nightlife entertainment. The opening of its flagship Las Vegas location in April 2022 — the only gentlemen’s club on the Las Vegas Strip — cemented its reputation as a category leader. Today, Peppermint Hippo and its affiliated entities, including Las Tóxicas, operate over 12 clubs nationwide, each delivering a “Mini-Vegas” experience through upscale design, professional entertainment, and elevated hospitality standards. Visit ThePeppermintHippo.com for more information.
About Tradewinds Universal
Tradewinds Universal (OTCID: TRWD) is a fully reporting, publicly traded holding company focused on acquiring and scaling revenue-generating businesses in the adult hospitality and entertainment sector. The Company’s strategy centers on consolidating a fragmented, high-revenue industry under a single SEC-reporting, PCAOB-audited public structure — creating institutional-grade transparency in a sector that has historically operated without it. Through its strategic alignment with Peppermint Hippo and affiliated brands, TRWD is building a diversified adult hospitality platform with a long-term goal of operating 100 or more venues nationally.
Investor Relations Contact
Rocco Fuerte
Tradewinds Universal
(619) 483-1008
Rocco@TradewindsUniversal.com
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding TRWD’s operational plans, acquisition timing, revenue expectations, growth prospects, expansion targets, and anticipated strategic developments. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include, but are not limited to, risks associated with the Company’s ability to consummate acquisitions, obtain necessary licensing and regulatory approvals, integrate acquired businesses, access capital on favorable terms, achieve projected revenue targets, and navigate general economic and market conditions. Revenue figures attributed to Peppermint Hippo and affiliated brands reflect the performance of entities that are not yet wholly owned subsidiaries of TRWD; actual revenue contribution to TRWD’s consolidated financial statements will depend on the timing and completion of definitive acquisition agreements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release. Tradewinds Universal disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements except as required by law. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
