UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

☒ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2022

☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

FOR THE TRANSITION PERIOD FROM _______ TO ___________

COMMISSION FILE NO. 001-41434

NOCERA, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

Nevada		16-1626611
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)		(IRS Employer Identification No.)

3F (Building B), No. 185, Sec. 1, Datong Rd., Xizhi Dist., New Taipei City 221, Taiwan (R.O.C.)

(Address of principal executive offices and zip code)

(886)-910-163-358

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OF THE ACT:

Title of each class:		Trading Symbol(s)		Name of each exchange on which registered:
Common Stock		NCRA		The Nasdaq Capital Market LLC

SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(g) OF THE ACT:

None.

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☐ No ☒

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ☐ No ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer”, “small reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large accelerated filer ☐		Accelerated filer ☐
Non-accelerated filer ☒		Smaller reporting company ☒
		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. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☐

If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes ☐ No ☒

The aggregate market value of the registrant’s issued and outstanding shares of common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of June 30, 2022 based on $4.00 per share, the price at which the registrant’s common stock was last sold on June 30, 2022, was approximately $18,658,256.

There were 9,243,587 shares outstanding of the registrant’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share, as of March 31, 2023.

NOCERA, INC.

TABLE OF CONTENTS TO ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K

For the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2022

PART I		1

ITEM 1.	BUSINESS	1
ITEM 1A.	RISK FACTORS	8
ITEM 1B.	UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS	26
ITEM 2.	PROPERTIES	27
ITEM 3.	LEGAL PROCEEDINGS	27
ITEM 4.	MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES	27

PART II		28

ITEM 5.	MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON STOCK, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES	28
ITEM 6.	[RESERVED]	29
ITEM 7.	MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS	29
ITEM 7A.	QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK	42
ITEM 8.	FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA	42
ITEM 9.	CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE	43
ITEM 9A.	CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES	43
ITEM 9B.	OTHER INFORMATION	46
ITEM 9C	DISCLOSURE REGARDING FOREIGN JURISDICTIONS THAT PREVENT INSPECTIONS	46

PART III		47

ITEM 10.	DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS, AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE	47
ITEM 11.	EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION	52
ITEM 12.	SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS	55
ITEM 13.	CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE	57
ITEM 14.	PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES	57

PART IV		58

ITEM 15.	EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES	58
ITEM 16.	FORM 10-K SUMMARY	60

SIGNATURES		61

EXHIBIT INDEX		58

INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS		F-1

In this Annual Report on Form 10-K, unless otherwise stated or as the context otherwise requires, references to “Nocera, Inc.,” “Nocera,” the “Company,” “we,” “us,” “our” and similar references refer to Nocera, Inc., a Nevada corporation. Our logo and other trademarks or service marks of the Company appearing in this Annual Report on Form 10-K are the property of Nocera, Inc.

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). These forward-looking statements represent our expectations, beliefs, intentions, or strategies concerning future events, including, but not limited to, any statements regarding our assumptions about financial performance; the continuation of historical trends; growth strategies; the sufficiency of our cash balances for future liquidity and capital resource needs; the expected impact of changes in accounting policies on our results of operations, financial condition or cash flows; anticipated problems and our plans for future operations; our future financing plans and anticipated needs for working capital; and the economy in general or the future of the food production industry, all of which were subject to various risks and uncertainties. Such statements, when used in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and other reports, statements, and information we have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), in our press releases, presentations to securities analysts or investors, in oral statements made by or with the approval of an executive officer, are generally identifiable by use of the words “may,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “continue,” “estimate,” “believe,” “intend,” or “project” or the negative of these words or other variations on these words or comparable terminology. However, any statements contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. These statements are expressed in good faith and based upon a reasonable basis when made, but there can be no assurance that these expectations will be achieved or accomplished.

This information may involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements. These statements may be found under Part I Item 1 “Business” and Part II Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” as well as in other parts of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Actual events or results may differ materially from those discussed in forward-looking statements as a result of various factors as described in this Annual Report on Form 10-K generally. In light of these risks and uncertainties, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K will in fact occur. In addition to the information expressly required to be included in this filing, we will provide such further material information, if any, as may be necessary to ensure that the required statements, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, are not misleading.

Although forward-looking statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K reflect the good faith judgment of our management, forward-looking statements are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, business, economic and other risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to be materially different from those discussed in these forward-looking statements. Readers are urged not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. We assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect any event or circumstance that may arise after the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, other than as may be required by applicable law or regulation. Readers are urged to carefully review and consider the various disclosures made by us in our reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) which attempt to advise interested parties of the risks and factors that may affect our business, financial condition, results of operation and cash flows. If one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if the underlying assumptions prove incorrect, our actual results may vary materially from those expected or projected.

This Annual Report on Form 10-K also contains estimates, projections, and other information concerning our industry, our business, and particular markets, including data regarding the estimated size of those markets. Information that is based on estimates, forecasts, projections, market research, or similar methodologies is inherently subject to uncertainties and actual events or circumstances may differ materially from events and circumstances reflected in this information. Unless otherwise expressly stated, we obtained this industry, business, market, and other data from reports, research surveys, studies, and similar data prepared by market research firms and other third parties, industry, general publications, government data, and similar sources.

PART I

ITEM 1.

BUSINESS

Overview

Nocera, Inc. was incorporated in the State of Nevada on February 1, 2002, with operations based in New Taipei City, Taiwan. Our primary business operations currently consist of designing, developing and producing large scale recirculating aquaculture systems (“RASs”) for fish farms along with providing consulting, technology transfer and aquaculture project management services to new and existing aquaculture management business services.

RASs operate by filtering water from the fish (or shellfish) tanks so it can be reused within the tank. This dramatically reduces the amount of water and space required to intensively produce seafood products. The steps in RASs include solids removal, ammonia removal, Co2 removal and oxygenation. Prior to 2021, we initially focused on the Chinese market due to opportunities presented by changes to regulations governing water use for fish production in China. As of October 2020, we had delivered 551 fish tank systems to six separate Chinese-based fish farms, and two fish tank systems to our Taiwan showroom.

In October 2020, the government of Taiwan began supporting the Green Power and Solar Sharing Fish Farms initiative. In view of the opportunities resulting from this initiative, in October 2020, we ceased all of our operations in China and moved all of our technology and back-office operations to Taiwan. We now only operate out of Taiwan.

Our current mission is to provide consulting services and solutions in aquaculture projects to reduce water pollution and decrease the disease problems of fisheries. Our goal is to become a global leader in the land-based aquaculture business. We are now poised to grow our existing operations in Taiwan and expand into the development and management of land-based fish farms in Taiwan and North and South America. We do not currently have any intentions of conducting operations in China or Hong Kong.

Corporate History

Nocera, Inc. was incorporated in the State of Nevada on February 1, 2002, and is based in New Taipei City, Taiwan.

Reverse Merger

Effective December 31, 2018, we completed a reverse merger transaction pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Agreement”) with (i) GSI, (ii) GSI’s stockholders, Yin-Chieh (“Jeff”) Cheng and Zhang Bi, who together owned shares constituting 100% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares of GSI (the “GSI Shares”) and (iii) GSI Acquisition Corp. Under the terms of the Agreement, the GSI Stockholders transferred to us all of the GSI Shares in exchange for the issuance of 6,666,667 (post-split) shares of our common stock. As a result of the reverse merger, GSI became our wholly-owned subsidiary and Mr. Cheng and Zhang Bi, the former stockholders of GSI, became our controlling stockholders. The share exchange transaction with GSI was treated as a reverse merger, with GSI as the accounting acquirer and Nocera as the acquired party. GSI is a limited company established under the laws and regulations of Hong Kong on August 1, 2014 and is a holding company without any assets or operations.

In anticipation of the reverse merger, GSI undertook a reorganization and became the 100% holding company of Guizhou Grand Smooth Technology Ltd (“GZ GST”) and GSI Guizhou Wan Feng Hu Intelligent Aquatic Technology Co. Limited (“GZ WFH”), which were all controlled by the same stockholders before and after the reorganization, pursuant to a series of contractual agreements (the “GZ WFH VIE Agreements”). As a result, GSI, through GZ GST, was determined to be the primary beneficiary of GZ WFH and GZ WFH became a variable interest entity (“VIE”) of GSI. Accordingly, GSI consolidated GZ WFH’s operations, assets and liabilities.

GZ WFH was incorporated in Xingyi City, Guizhou Province, People’s Republic of China (PRC) on October 25, 2017, and was engaged in providing fish farming containers service, which integrated sales, installments, and maintenance of aquaculture equipment.

Divestiture of GZ WFH

On September 21, 2020, we terminated our relationship with GZ WFH and its management, and the GZ WFH Agreements between the parties were terminated as well.

Subsequently on October 8, 2020, Zhang Bi and GZ WFH entered into a Settlement Agreement and Release with us wherein all claims as to GZ WFH’s debt (claim to our shares or GZ GST) were compromised, settled, and otherwise resolved as to any and all claims or causes of action whatsoever against us for any matter, action, or representation as to Nocera, and any debt to ownership of Nocera or GZ GST up to the date of the settlement agreement. The consideration for the settlement agreement was mutual waiver of any and all claims against each other and GZ GST, and GZ WFH (including Zhang Bi) waived any claims to our stock, and the 3,166,667 (post-split) shares of our common stock owned by Zhang Bi were cancelled.

XFC Sale

On December 31, 2020, we exchanged 466,667 (post-split) shares of our restricted common stock to stockholders of Xin Feng Construction Co., Ltd., a Taiwan limited liability company (“XFC”), in exchange for 100% controlling interest in XFC. We also entered into contractual arrangements with a stockholder of XFC, that enabled us to have the power to direct the activities that most significantly affects the economic performance of XFC and receive the economic benefits of XFC that could be significant to XFC. On November 30, 2022, we entered into a Purchase of Business Agreement with Han-Chieh Shih (the “Purchaser”), in which we sold our controlling interest of XFC, to the Purchaser for a total purchase cash price of $300,000 (the “XFC Sale”). The closing of the XFC Sale occurred on November 30, 2022 and the XFC variable interest entity (“VIE”) agreements were terminated in connection with the XFC Sale.

Reverse Stock Split

On July 26, 2022, we filed a Certificate of Amendment with the Secretary of State of the State of Nevada to implement a 2-for-3 reverse stock split of our outstanding common stock, with fractional shares resulting from the reverse stock split being rounded up to the nearest whole number. The reverse stock split was effected on August 11, 2022.

The VIE Agreements with Meixin

On September 7, 2022, we entered into a series of contractual agreements (collectively, the “Meixin VIE Agreements”) with the majority stockholder (the “Selling Stockholder”) of Meixin Institutional Food Development Co., Ltd., a Taiwan corporation and a food processing and catering company (“Meixin”), and Meixin, of which we purchased 80% controlling interest of Meixin for $4,300,000. The Meixin VIE Agreements essentially confer control and management of Meixin as well as substantially all of the economic benefits of the Selling Stockholder in Meixin to us.

Business Developments

The following highlights recent material developments in our business:

	·	On September 19, 2022, we announced that our seafood porridge bowl will be launched at the Ning Xia Night Market in the Datong District of Taipei City, Taiwan with a soft opening on September 26, 2022.

	·	On November 17, 2022, we announced that we achieved eel sales revenue of over $3 million for the month of October 2022.

	·	On December 13, 2022, we announced that we achieved eel sales revenue of approximately $3.2 million for the month of November 2022.

	·	On December 15, 2022, we announced that our flagship bento box store located in the Datong District of Taipei City, Taiwan officially opened. The two signature dishes, grilled eel rice bowl and super value bento box, made an instant hit around Nangang Software Park. Nangang Software Park contains around 400 companies with more than 25,000 people.

Recent Developments

Recent developments of the Company are summarized below and have been previously disclosed in Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC:

On September 8, 2022, we entered into a Real Estate Purchase Agreement with an unaffiliated third party pursuant to which we agreed to purchase 229 contiguous acres of land located in Montgomery County, Alabama (the “Land Acquisition”). We paid an earnest deposit of $10,000 on the land with the balance of $865,000 payable at closing. We borrowed $650,000 to fund the purchase price. The Land Acquisition closed on February 16, 2023. We intend to build RASs on the land for fish farming. The property includes a house, a manufactured home and a building site with sewer and power which we intend to develop into an office and dormitory for our future employees.

Corporate Structure

We conduct our operations through (i) Meixin; and (ii) Nocera Taiwan Branch, an unincorporated division of the Company (“NTB”). Our other subsidiaries, GSI, which wholly-owns GZ GST, are dormant and currently do not have any operations. However, GZ GST may be involved with RASs manufacturing in the near future.

We acquired GSI in a reverse merger on December 31, 2018. Prior to the merger, we were a “shell company” as defined under Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act). GSI is the parent holding company of GZ GST, which was incorporated on November 13, 2018, as a wholly foreign-owned enterprise established in the PRC. Both GSI and GZ GZT are currently dormant and do not conduct any operations. We currently do not conduct any operations in China or Hong Kong.

In December 2020, we added XFC as a VIE in order to obtain a Class A construction license to construct indoor RASs and solar sharing fish farms. On November 30, 2022, we entered into a Purchase of Business Agreement with Han-Chieh Shih, in which we sold our controlling interest of XFC, to the Purchaser for a total purchase cash price of $300,000. The closing of the XFC Sale occurred on November 30, 2022 and the XFC VIE agreements were terminated in connection with the XFC Sale. As of November 30, 2022, we ceased providing services to construct indoor RASs and solar sharing fish farms in Taiwan.

On September 7, 2022, we entered into a series of contractual agreements with the majority stockholder of Meixin and Meixin, of which we purchased 80% controlling interest of Meixin for $4,300,000. The Meixin VIE Agreements essentially confer control and management of Meixin as well as substantially all of the economic benefits of the Selling Stockholder in Meixin to us. Therefore, in accordance with ASC 810 “Consolidation,” we are considered the primary beneficiary of Meixin and have consolidated Meixin’s assets, liabilities, results of operations, and cash flows in the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

NTB was established on January 14, 2021 in Taiwan. In October 2021, Nocera began its eel trading business in response to domestic demands created by the COVID-19 lockdown. NTB currently procures and sells eel in Taiwan and plans to trade other types of seafood, such as tilapia and milkfish, in the near future.

Significant Products & Services

We manufacture, sell, and install RASs for land-based fish farms. Originally, our systems were designed and constructed from used marine shipping containers. We then developed our next generation of RASs, a cylindrical shaped tank that holds approximately 15,000 U.S. gallons of water, which we believe make them among the largest systems in the market.

There are several significant benefits to our RASs:

	·	the system provides a controlled and “traceable” environment;

	·	the recirculating aquaculture system can be installed almost anywhere and requires minimal site preparation; and

	·	it benefits local economies by providing fresher and, therefore, generally healthier fish.

Nocera’s RASs include the fish tank, circulation and filtration systems.

Nocera Land-based RASs Overview
Height / width	1.5m/10m
Main composition of our tank	Environmental-friendly PE
Yield per growing season (Tilapia)	11,000 lbs.
Fish farming density	100-109 lb./m3
Price per RASs Total Solution	$35,000 USD

Our RASs can raise both freshwater and saltwater fish, as well as a variety of crustaceans.

Nocera Recirculating Aquaculture System

Market Overview

Global fish consumption has long been on the rise at a rate higher than any other source of animal protein, and the trend is expected to continue. With overfishing already threatening the earth’s marine ecosystem, it is anticipated that a significantly larger proportion of fish consumption would be farm-raised instead of wild-caught in the future.

Also, the trade conflict between the U.S. and China has led to a greater demand for non-Chinese origin seafood products from the U.S. market.

On a broader perspective, as the world rapidly begins a transition towards net zero carbon emissions in response to the ever-more pressing threat of climate change, it is foreseeable that solar energy will be the go-to option for many countries as a new source of green energy.

We believe that the RASs, with its proven advantage in producing more fish in a more cost-effective and environmentally friendly manner while offering greater location flexibility and the potential for a “solar-fish sharing mode,” is a perfect solution to address the opportunities highlighted above.

SEC Form 10-K filed by Nocera Inc.