CropLife Asia 2021 Annual General Meeting convenes virtually with Regional Food Supply Chain & Farmer Resiliency Center Stage

SINGAPORE, Mar 3, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – The CropLife Asia 2021 Annual General Meeting (AGM) commenced virtually today, bringing together plant science industry leaders from across the continent. This year's edition of the annual gathering includes a unique focus on how the global pandemic has impacted various aspects of the regional food supply chain as well as the official presentation of the newly-elected Board of Directors. The 2021 Board consists of:

– Mr. Gustavo Palerosi Carneiro – President, CropLife Asia (BASF)
– Mr. Alexander Berkovskiy – Vice President, CropLife Asia (Syngenta)
– Mr. Jens Hartmann – Treasurer, CropLife Asia (Bayer)
– Mr. Peter Ford – Secretary, CropLife Asia (Corteva Agriscience)

"It is an honor to lead CropLife Asia at such a consequential time for our region and industry," said Gustavo Palerosi Carneiro, President of CropLife Asia. "The challenges we face in Asia are daunting. While our region remains home to the highest number of hungry and undernourished, farmers are facing increasing pressure from pests, weeds, disease and the impacts of climate change. The far-reaching effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have only exacerbated the strain on food production and distribution.

"Plant science has an important role to play in making our food supply chain more resilient, but it's only part of the solution. On behalf of CropLife Asia, we look forward to working with food and agriculture stakeholders across the region to meet these growing demands."

In January of this year, the United Nations (UN) released a report titled Asia and the Pacific Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition. Among the findings of the report was new data reflecting a troubling lack of food security among children and the most vulnerable parts of society in Asia. Specifically, nearly two billion people in Asia cannot afford a healthy diet, with two-thirds of children in the region suffering from the physical effects of malnutrition.

Beyond food security, sustainability is a topic of increasing focus for society – particularly the issue of climate change. Activities related to crop production are estimated to generate anywhere from 10-13% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and agriculture is a leading cause of deforestation.

The innovative technologies of plant science continue to enable farmers to produce more safe and nutritious food with fewer impacts to the world around us. Biotech crops have been developed with improved traits such as increased yield, better resistance to pests and/or improved nutrition, among others – and allow for sequestration of carbon in the soil through practices such as no-till farming. These are crucial tools that help farmers address global challenges such as food insecurity and climate change together.

Meanwhile, farmers rely on crop protection products (or pesticides) to grow more food on less land and raise productivity per hectare. Without pesticides, 40% of global rice and maize harvests could be lost every year and losses for fruits and vegetables could be as high as 50-90%. These losses in yield would likely mean additional land would need to be cleared for agriculture, leading to increased carbon emissions.

The CropLife Asia 2021 Annual General Meeting will conclude on Thursday, March 4.

About CropLife Asia

CropLife Asia is a non-profit society and the regional organization of CropLife International, the voice of the global plant science industry. We advocate a safe, secure food supply, and our vision is food security enabled by innovative agriculture. CropLife Asia supports the work of 15 member associations across the continent and is led by six member companies at the forefront of crop protection, seeds and/or biotechnology research and development. For more information, visit us at www.croplifeasia.org.

For more information please contact:
Duke Hipp
Director, Public Affairs & Strategic Partnerships
CropLife Asia
duke.hipp@croplifeasia.org

Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

NaturalShrimp Signs Letter of Intent to Acquire Aquaculture Assets of Hydrenesis Aquaculture, LLC

Dallas, TX, Feb 24, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – via NewMediaWire — NaturalShrimp, Inc. (OTCQB: SHMP), an aquaculture Company, which has developed and patented the first commercially operational Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) for shrimp, announced today that it has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to acquire the aquaculture assets of Hydrenesis Aquaculture, LLC for $12,500,000, consisting of $5,500,000 in cash and the balance due in NSI common stock. The acquisition is expected to be accretive to earnings in fiscal year 2021.

Gerald Easterling, CEO of NaturalShrimp added, "NaturalShrimp has been working with Hydrenesis since 2018 on several solutions for the industry with the team at Hydrenesis. We currently have trials on going in Norway and Australia. The Company intends to immediately begin deployment of the technology in our hatchery and nursery systems. We also believe that the Hydrenesis technology will have major impacts on disease control in salmon, barramundi, and tilapia farming segments. We expect to file additional patents around the expansion of the application and use of the combined EC and Hydrenesis technology."

David Antelo, CEO of Hydrenesis, Inc., said, "We are excited for the next evolution of our relationship with NaturalShrimp. We have been exploring the application of 'Redox' water treatment for several years. Our technologies' ability to affect water chemistry and elevate water quality is proving to have a significant impact on growth and health metrics. Natural Shrimp's bold vision and rapid growth trajectory make them the ideal partner for extending commercialization of Hydrenesis technologies to additional species applications."

ABOUT NATURAL SHRIMP

NaturalShrimp, Inc. is a publicly traded aqua-tech Company, headquartered in Dallas, with production facilities located near San Antonio, Texas. The Company has developed the first commercially viable system for growing shrimp in enclosed, salt-water systems, using patented technology to produce fresh, never frozen, naturally grown shrimp, without the use of antibiotics or toxic chemicals. NaturalShrimp systems can be located anywhere in the world to produce gourmet-grade Pacific white shrimp.

About Hydrenesis

Hydrenesis, Inc. and Hydrenesis Aquaculture, LLC, headquartered in Pompano Beach, FL, are private technology owners and technology commercialization companies that partner with leading IP holders and industry insiders to commercialize innovative technologies in major industry sectors.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements." The statements contained in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements give the Company's current expectations or forecasts of future events. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that are often difficult to predict and beyond the Company's control, and could cause the Company's results to differ materially from those described. In some cases forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "may," "should," "potential," "continue," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," and similar expressions. These statements include statements regarding moving forward with executing the Company's global growth strategy. The statements are based upon current beliefs, expectations and assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict. The Company is providing this information as of the date of this press release and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends affecting the financial condition of our business. Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by, which such performance or results will be achieved. Important factors that could cause such differences include, but are not limited to the Risk Factors and other information set forth in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-Q filed on February 16, 2021, and in our other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contact:
Richard Brown
508-462-9638

SOURCE: Natural Shrimp

Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

ZALL celebrates the opening of its first overseas Chinese bookstore in Singapore

SINGAPORE, Feb 11, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – ZALL Group, Asia's leading B2B e-commerce group, has officially opened its first overseas all-in-one Chinese bookstore on 8 February 2021 that is situated right in the heart of Orchard Road at Wheelock Place. The bookstore comprises of a cafe, art gallery and craft store, as well as event and outdoor spaces. Aspiring to create an all-in-one lifestyle experience, ZALL Bookstore seeks to create the perfect quintessential conducive environment for like-minded individuals who are passionate about Chinese culture, literature and arts to congregate and interact.

"Perfect for enthusiasts who are keen to learn more about Chinese culture, ZALL Bookstore creates a completely immersive experience into the world of books," said Yan Ge, spokesperson of ZALL Bookstore. "ZALL Bookstore aims to represent the richness of the Chinese heritage by offering readers an array of books with varied genres, as well as a collaborative setting for our readers to rediscover themselves whilst reading."

Serving as a gateway into the world of rich Chinese history and culture, ZALL Bookstore caters to diverse cultural interests and offers a comprehensive curated collection of more than 30,000 books on Chinese literature, humanities, history, and philosophy from China and Taiwan – featuring adult and children's books from international bestsellers, Chinese authors and foreign literary works. Beyond books, ZALL Bookstore also embodies the spirit of humanities, creativity, art and lifestyle that seeks to nourish a reader's soul with experiential charm into Chinese culture.

The interior of ZALL Bookstore accentuates the calligraphic elements of black and white, inspired by the essence of the Jiangnan watertown, with a spiral staircase – the key element of the bookstore is the circular arch that extends from the second floor to the first, resembling that of a river bridge in the water towns symbolising the essence of connecting the two streets of the town/city.

Stepping into the bookstore on the first floor, readers will be greeted with calligraphic elements of black and white, inspired by the essence of the Jiangnan watertown, and would be able to browse an extensive range of Children's books as soon as they enter the bookstore.

This floor also includes a public multifunctional reading area that can hold events from new book releases to reading events; and a cafe that provides a cosy space for anyone seeking a quiet space to read, and to relax by enjoying the variety of coffee blends, Chinese Chu tea and Taiwan tea served at the cafe, amidst the hustle and bustle of Orchard road.

Walking up the spiral staircase to the second floor, readers shall be able to appreciate the well-designed circular arch that extends from the second floor to the first, resembling that of a river bridge in the water towns which symbolises the essence of connecting the two streets of the town/city.

The second floor of the bookstore boasts the Adults' section, where lovers of Chinese books can have the most pleasurable book-hunting experience in an exquisite ambience. There would also be a section for cultural creatives and fresh stationery ideas for art and design lovers.

Readers will be pleasantly surprised by the art gallery on the second floor of the bookstore if they wish for a change in scenery as this section will showcase the collection of creative artworks and thought-provoking paintings by Singapore's local talents and international artists.

Readers are invited to come and rediscover the joys of reading whilst immersing themselves into the rich Chinese culture. For more information, please visit ZALL Bookstore at Wheelock Place, 501 Orchard Road, https://www.facebook.com/zallbookstore

About ZALL Bookstore

ZALL Bookstore offers a place for cultural exchange, social gathering and homecoming providing a conducive space for everyone. ZALL bookstore is the first upscaled Chinese-themed bookstore in Singapore, featuring an all-in-one lifestyle experience. ZALL bookstore is the ideal location for events such as artistic exchanges that will nourish a reader's soul with experiential charm into Chinese culture. Its cafe will allow a quiet cafe experience of Singapore's coffee culture, providing cosy corners for anyone seeking a quiet space to read. ZALL Bookstore not only feature books, but also embodies the spirit of humanities, creativity, art, and lifestyle, that will cater to the diverse arts and cultural interests in Singapore and aspiring to create the unique arts paradise reshaping Singapore's Chinese cultural landscape.

Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Lunar New Year Brings Call from CropLife Asia to “Think of and Thank our Farmer Heroes”

SINGAPORE, Feb 9, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – With people in Asia and around the world set to celebrate Lunar New Year, CropLife Asia called for greater appreciation of regional growers and their critical contributions to food production – helping ensure food security across Asia and making available many of the ingredients to dishes enjoyed during this festive time of year.

"Lunar New Year is a time when we reflect, spend more time with friends and family, and enjoy the delicious foods of the season," said Dr. Siang Hee Tan, CropLife Asia Executive Director. "In the midst of the ongoing global pandemic, it all takes on greater meaning. The time spent with loved ones and eating the foods we savour will be that much more enjoyable and memorable.

"In the midst of this year's gatherings, I hope we can also take time to think of and thank our farmer heroes. The men and women we depend on for the food we eat during this holiday and throughout the year have been hit hard by COVID-19. They drive food security for Asia in the midst of a growing number of challenges and obstacles. Asia's farmers earn our respect and appreciation every day, and we owe them our gratitude."

Farmers across Asia help make Lunar New Year celebrations more festive, nutritious and delicious by producing the various foods that are served during the holiday season. In China and across Asia, mandarin oranges are a staple that can be found on tables and given as gifts. In Vietnam, xoi (sticky rice) is synonymous with Tet celebrations. Meanwhile, tteokguk (rice cake soup) is a popular dish enjoyed by many in Korea; while tikoy (sticky rice treat) is a delicacy prepared by many of those celebrating in the Philippines.

The past year has been an unprecedented time for everyone; this has been particularly true for farmers in our region. Asia is home to the smallest-sized farms and the largest number of smallholder farmers globally. The pandemic has only exacerbated a challenging landscape for these smallholders – one that includes mitigating the devasting impacts of locusts, the Fall Armyworm invasive pest and climate change. Despite these challenges, regional farmers continue to grow the safe and nutritious foods on which we depend and help ensure food security for a growing Asia and world.

Plant science continues to play a critical role in enabling farmers on this front. Biotech crops have been developed with improved traits such as increased yield, better resistance to pests and/or improved nutrition, among others. These traits are crucial tools that help farmers meet global challenges such as food insecurity. Meanwhile, farmers continue to rely on crop protection products to produce more food on less land and raise productivity per hectare. Without crop protection products, 40 percent of global rice and maize harvests could be lost every year and losses for fruits and vegetables could be as high as 50-90 percent.

About CropLife Asia

CropLife Asia is a non-profit society and the regional organization of CropLife International, the voice of the global plant science industry. We advocate a safe, secure food supply, and our vision is food security enabled by innovative agriculture. CropLife Asia supports the work of 15 member associations across the continent and is led by six member companies at the forefront of crop protection, seeds and/or biotechnology research and development. For more information, visit us at www.croplifeasia.org.

For more information please contact:
Duke Hipp
Director, Public Affairs & Strategic Partnerships
CropLife Asia
Tel: +65 6221 1615
duke.hipp@croplifeasia.org

Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

PuduBot Gets a Job at an Australian BBQ Restaurant

MELBOURNE, Feb 1, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – Recently, a famous Korean BBQ restaurant on Elizabeth Street in the CBD of Melbourne, Australia, took in a new member to deliver food in the store. That is PuduBot, the iconic delivery robot from Pudu Robotics.

PuduBot has been well received by the locals since its introduction in the restaurant. While waiting for the food to be served, many customers use their mobile phones to take photos or videos of PuduBot hustling and bustling around.

Robot waiters are nothing new in the modern world, but people may wonder "How does the robot deliver food to the designated location? How does it avoid people coming and going? Is it reliable? And how can it ensure the food is not spilled or dropped?"

Well, it's all a piece of cake for PuduBot!

PuduBot is developed by Pudu Robotics, a world-leading provider of commercial robots. The company is headquartered in Shenzhen, the global epicenter of hardware innovation, and has set up R&D centers in Shenzhen, Beijing and Chengdu, and hundreds of offices across the country. Pudu has developed over 400 patents, more than 60% of which are utility patents. Relying on the core technologies of low-speed autonomous driving, robotics motor, and motion control, Pudu has launched top-notch delivery and disinfection robots to the market.

As we know, Pudu's delivery robot features automatic driving, positioning and navigation, and obstacle avoidance. So how does this work? It is made possible by the multi-sensor PUDU SLAM algorithm independently developed by Pudu. This cutting-edge technology integrates the data from the vision camera, lidar, RGBD camera, IMU, encoder, ultrasonic sensor and many more sensors, enabling centimeter-level map construction and positioning with high precision and robustness.

When performing a task, the robot first identifies its own position and direction, makes global path planning based on the map and destination, and follows the calculated optimal path.

During its movement, the robot processes data from sensors through the perception algorithm, accurately identifies obstacles in the environment, and generates a high-precision, multi-layer semantic map. It also makes local path planning to fine-tune the trajectory in real time while maintaining the general direction of the global path, allowing for flexible obstacle avoidance.

Furthermore, thanks to the auto-level independent linkage suspension pioneered by Pudu Robotics, PuduBot provides sound damping performance comparable to vehicles, ensuring stable delivery of food and drink even when an obstacle is standing in the way.

Most Pudu delivery robots come with a pleasingly simple appearance. Take PuduBot for example. Equipped with 3-4 trays, the body features a streamlined, lightweight design in colors of black and white, making it easier to blend into the environment. In the idle state, PuduBot presents cute and vivid expressions as appropriate on its navigation-sized screen.

Today, Pudu's delivery robots have been sold all over the world. They have found wide applications in restaurants, hospitals, supermarkets, and even airports and office buildings of all sizes, providing flexible delivery that users can rely on.

Media contact
Linhong Jiang
Phone: +86-400-0826-660
E-mail: global_sales@pudutech.com
Website: https://pudurobotics.com/

Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

NUCROP – Hybrid Electric Crop Protection, Nufarm and CROP.ZONE Launch New Brand for Alternative Weed Control

Aachen, Germany, Jan 21, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – Australian crop protection and specialty seed company, Nufarm and German ag-tech start-up, CROP.ZONE are announcing the launch of NUCROP – Hybrid Electric Crop Protection. Through its Early Adopters Program, the competitive and sustainable alternative for weed management is now available to Farmers and Contractors in Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands.

NUCROP, powered by CROP.ZONE

The NUCROP solution combines chemical and physical processes to create a compelling and sustainable method of weed control. By pre-treating plants with conductive liquid, acceptable for organic use, and then applying electrical charge, the solution can control weeds with a very high degree of efficiency and lower energy consumption than conventional weeding technologies.

In the Early Adopters program, Nufarm and CROP.ZONE team up with selected channel partners in Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands and offer farmers and contractors access to NUCROP technology. The Early Adopters Program will focus on several crops and applications, with a strong focus on potato desiccation in 2021. Other uses are in trailing phase and will be available to farmers shortly. The NUCROP technology offers farmers and contractors a real alternative to chemical solutions at competitive prices, especially for those crops where chemical weed control options have been reduced and where alternative technologies are required.

For more information on the Early Adopters Program, visit us at www.crop.zone.

With NUCROP, Nufarm and CROP.ZONE offers a safe, reliable, and environmentally friendly alternative to make European agriculture more sustainable.

About CROP.ZONE

CROP.ZONE was established in 2019 by a highly experienced team of AgTech experts with decades of experience in the same field. Today, CROP.ZONE's hybrid herbicide solution is active in the field, demonstrating its efficacy in weed management, cover crop burn-down, and pre-harvest desiccation. CROP.ZONE offers electrophysical solutions to combat weeds and manage pre-harvest desiccation, providing farmers with an alternative tool against the backdrop of increased regulatory requirements and societal expectations. The innovative patented CROP.ZONE solution can replace a significant part of today's synthetic herbicide use. It provides a competitive alternative for weed management, thus contributing to yield optimization and farm profitability while helping achieve sustainability goals. CROP.ZONE's solutions give the company a strong footing in the future agriculture market.

About Nufarm

Nufarm Limited is a leading developer and manufacturer of crop protection solutions and seed technologies. Our team of more than 2,500 people make a vital contribution to our reputation for quality products that meet the needs of growers, customer support, and partnership in major agricultural markets in Europe, North America, and Asia Pacific. Nufarm is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (symbol NUF) and our head office is located in Melbourne, Australia.

Media Contact – crop.zone
Michiel De Jongh
Strategic Advisor & CCO
MICHIEL.DEJONGH@CROP.ZONE
+34 658 563 828

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CropLife Asia Statement: Reaction to New UN Regional Report on State of Food Security and Nutrition in Asia

SINGAPORE, Jan 20, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – With today's launch of the United Nations' (UN) "Asia and the Pacific Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition", CropLife Asia released a statement urging more partnership and agricultural technology adoption across the region to help ensure an abundant and accessible supply of safe, nutritious food for all.

"Today's report confirms a sadly familiar refrain for Asia: our region is failing to deliver food security for far too many – particularly among mothers, children and the more vulnerable parts of society," said Dr. Siang Hee Tan, CropLife Asia Executive Director.

"The new data shared today is troubling and simply unacceptable. Nearly two billion people in Asia cannot afford a healthy diet. Meanwhile, two-thirds of our region's children suffer from wasting; and 14 countries in Asia have a prevalence of stunting with children exceeding 30%.

"Ensuring a healthy start for our region's children is crucial. We owe it to this generation and those that will follow to put aside differences and work together to address Asia's growing food crisis. From farm to fork, greater cooperation and collaboration across the region's food supply chain is critically important in helping realize positive nutritional outcomes.

"The innovative technologies of the plant science industry have a key role to play, but it's only one part of the solution. Making certain an ample supply of affordable and nutritious food reaches those who need it most is not a government, civil society or private sector responsibility – it's all our responsibility."

About CropLife Asia

CropLife Asia is a non-profit society and the regional organization of CropLife International, the voice of the global plant science industry. We advocate a safe, secure food supply, and our vision is food security enabled by innovative agriculture. CropLife Asia supports the work of 15 member associations across the continent and is led by six member companies at the forefront of crop protection, seeds and/or biotechnology research and development. For more information, visit us at www.croplifeasia.org.

For more information please contact:

Duke Hipp
Director, Public Affairs & Strategic Partnerships
CropLife Asia
Tel: +65 6221 1615
duke.hipp@croplifeasia.org

Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Azelis Acquires Majority Shareholding in MKVN Chemicals and Viet Chemi

SINGAPORE, Jan 6, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – Azelis, a leading distributor of specialty chemicals and food ingredients, has acquired a majority shareholding of MKVN Chemicals Co Ltd (MKVN) and Viet Chemi Trading and Service Co Ltd (Viet Chemi) through their parent company Bellekimia Singapore Pte. Ltd (Bellekimia). Both companies are active in personal care, industrial chemicals, agro and food segments as well as supply chain solutions. Founded in 2000 and with offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh, MKVN Chemicals and Viet Chemi have a strong reputation in Vietnam, serving first-class international principals and 700 customers.

The strong market presence and know-how of the local MKVN Chemicals and Viet Chemi teams will increase Azelis' presence in Vietnam allowing significant portfolio expansion through lateral integration. Being the 15th most populated country in the world, Vietnam's young workforce, increasing purchasing power, and growing access to premium products are expected to benefit MKVN Chemicals' and Viet Chemi' main business activity in personal care.

This transaction is consistent with Azelis' corporate strategy of complementing organic growth with strategic acquisitions.

Mr. Kamal Hezry Kassim, Managing Director of MKVN Chemicals and Viet Chemi, will continue to manage the business and will report to Azelis Asia Pacific CEO & President, Laurent Nataf.

Mr. Laurent Nataf, CEO & President of Azelis Asia Pacific, explains, "Growth in Asia Pacific has been one of the strategic priorities for Azelis. By strengthening our presence in Vietnam, we will gain better coverage in the entire region which is key for us to attract new mandates with our existing principals. Azelis and our new partners MKVN Chemicals and Viet Chemi have highly complementary business models which will help us diversify our product portfolio significantly. MKVN Chemicals and Viet Chemi currently operate best-in-class personal care laboratories in Vietnam. These laboratories will provide important added value to Azelis' existing technical expertise and will bring benefits to the entire region. Last but certainly not least, the Kassim family have an excellent reputation on the market and the entire management team is well known and respected in the country."

Mr. Kamal Hezry Kassim, Managing Director of MKVN Chemicals and Viet Chemi, adds, "We are very excited about this partnership for several reasons. Firstly, becoming part of such a highly regarded, international player will not only provide continuity and security for our company but also additional expertise, infrastructure and growth opportunities. Secondly, we will benefit greatly from Azelis' sustainability reputation and EcoVadis Gold rating, which are both important criteria for customers and corporate principals alike in South East Asia. Thirdly, there is an excellent fit between our strong technical focus on one side and Azelis' ability to offer innovative solutions to the market on the other. In short, joining forces with Azelis will bring great synergies not only for both companies but also will be beneficial for our principals and customers alike."

Azelis has been active in Vietnam since 2015 and employs some of the best industry professionals in the country. Azelis runs application laboratories for Personal Care, Home Care, CASE, and Textiles in Vietnam.

The acquisition of MKVN Chemicals and Viet Chemi illustrates the support provided by EQT since the initial acquisition of Azelis. EQT is confident that the expanded range of services and global reach provided by this acquisition will continue to bring benefits to customers and principals of the combined group.

Contact information
Azelis
Marina Kaptein
Group Communications Director
T: +32 3 613 0125
E: marina.kaptein@azelis.com

LEWIS on behalf of Azelis in APAC
Khalifah Hafiz
Account Coordinator
M +65 9150 3666
E: khalifah.hafiz@teamlewis.com

About Azelis

Azelis is a leading distributor of speciality chemicals and food ingredients present in over 50 countries across the globe with around 2,200 employees. Our knowledgeable teams of industry, market and technical experts are each dedicated to a specific market within Life Sciences and Industrial Chemicals. We offer a lateral value chain of complementary products to about 40,000 customers, creating a turnover of EUR 2.15 billion (2019).

Throughout our extensive network of more than 60 application laboratories, our award-winning technical staff help customers develop formulations. We combine a global reach with a local focus to offer a reliable, integrated service to local customers and attractive business opportunities to principals. And we believe in building and nurturing solid, honest and transparent relationships with our people and partners.

Impact through ideas. Innovation through formulation.

www.azelis.com

Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Taco Bell Indonesia Officially Opens Its First Restaurant in Jakarta

JAKARTA, Dec 19, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – Taco Bell officially opened its doors to the public in Indonesia on December 18, 2020. PT Fast Food Indonesia (IDX: FAST) will be utilizing its expertise in developing global retail restaurant brands in the Indonesian market by introducing Taco Bell. PT Fast Food Indonesia is committed to advancing Indonesia's food and beverage industry and contributes to the nation's economic growth by performing a sustainable development in fast food restaurant retail through the Taco Bell establishment in Indonesia.

The first restaurant is located on Jalan Senopati, South Jakarta, a cosmopolitan neighborhood located near the heart of the city's CBD. This restaurant truly captures Taco Bell's 'Live Mas' brand philosophy which translates to 'Live More', as in more fervently and authentically, giving customers a truly unique dining experience accompanied by great food. The restaurant design is modern and features a combination of glass and LED lighting to bring in natural light and give a dynamic indoor experience. What stands out is its colourful, iconic branded tower and a spread-out seating layout across two floors.

The interior features customized artworks and a digital wall. Open daily from 10.00 – 21.00 for Dine In and Take away, the restaurant has a seating capacity of 182, following strict health protocols with only 50% of visitor capacity. The restaurant offers a range of facilities including Wi-Fi, charging stations, prayer room, semi outdoor seating and lounge seating. It features as an open kitchen concept that allows consumers to see their meals being prepared.

This Mexican-inspired QSR from Southern California is ready to serve its specialties to the Indonesian consumer such as the Taco Supreme(TM), Crunchwrap Supreme(TM), Quesadilla, Grilled Stuft Burrito, Naked Chicken Taco(TM) and Loaded Nachos. To maintain the quality of its menu, all Taco Bell products are made with best in class ingredients including the taco shell and tortillas, proteins such as seasoned ground beef, seasoned ground chicken, grilled chicken, crispy chicken. The brand conducted extensive consumer research in Indonesia on what suited the local consumer. "Bell Rice" has been crafted specially for Indonesia, taking into account local flavors made in Taco Bell style. Most importantly, all Taco Bell Indonesia products and ingredients are Halal certified.

Hendra Yuniarto, General Manager Marketing PT Fast Food Indonesia said, "After much anticipation and detailed preparation, we are excited to finally bring this youthful and iconic brand and be the first QSR that serves Mexican-inspired cuisine to the Indonesian market. The new restaurant will integrate Taco Bell's fun spirit and signature food with the local community. The restaurant really elevates Taco Bell's unique and bold character which we hope will foster great dining experiences for our consumers."

"We believe that there is a growing opportunity for Taco Bell. We also look forward to introducing this fun and dynamic brand to other parts of the country in the future. We will continue to review the demand and improve what Taco Bell offers to the Indonesian market," Hendra continued.

Considering that the COVID-19 pandemic still not over, Taco Bell is committed to maintaining its global standard health and hygiene procedures which includes maintaining safe social distancing protocols by featuring a separate pick-up window for take away order, spread-out seating layout, frequent sanitization of all contact surfaces in restaurant, temperature checks for customers and providing hand sanitizers. To find further information about the brand, consumers can visit Taco Bell Indonesia's website www.tacobell.co.id or follow social media accounts Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter @Tacobellid.

About Taco Bell International

Taco Bell Corp., a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM), is the world's leading Mexican-inspired quick service restaurant (QSR) brand. Taco Bell serves made-to-order and customizable tacos and burritos and other specialties with bold flavors, quality ingredients, breakthrough value, and best-in-class customer service to over 40 million customers weekly across the globe. There are currently more than 600 Taco Bell restaurants across 30 countries outside of the United States.

About PT Fast Food Indonesia Tbk

PT Fast Food Indonesia Tbk (IDX: FAST), established in 1978, holds the retail business license of KFC Indonesia, building the first KFC in 1979 in Jakarta. For over 41 years being in fast food chain industry Indonesia, currently KFC owns 750 stores throughout Indonesia with more than 16.000 employees.

As the restaurant with slogan 'Jagonya Ayam', KFC always uses high-quality chicken meat from the qualified chicken processing place, so the produced chicken meat is guaranteed, hygienic and healthy. All of the ingredients and products served by KFC, not only chicken meat, have been certified Halal from the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) and production process from KFC suppliers is monitored by KFC Quality Assurance team.

In 2020, PT Fast Food Indonesia expands its business coverage by introducing a Californian-based brand Taco Bell to the Indonesian market. Utilizing its expertise in developing global fast-food restaurant chains, PT Fast Food Indonesia will open the first Taco Bell restaurant in Jakarta. https://kfcku.com/news.

For further information:
Ika Diah Rhanny
PT Fast Food Indonesia
E: ikah.diah@ffi.co.id

Yasmin, Eureka! PR
E: yasmin@eureka-id.net

Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Captiva Verde Announces Mushroom Update to Agreement with Mexican Health Care Workers Union for up to USD $142 Million per Year of Annual Product Sales

Coquitlam, British Columbia, Dec 15, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – Captiva Verde Land Corp. (CSE: PWR) (OTC: CPIVF) (the "Company" or "Captiva Verde"), is pleased to announce that further to its news release of July 27, 2020, where Captiva Verde has executed a share exchange agreement to acquire 100% of Salud Esmeralda de Mexico SA de CV, ("Esmeralda") whereby Esmeralda holds a comprehensive pharmaceutical license to sell, market and distribute an entire suite of 300+ pharmaceutical, health, wellness and veterinarian products which include all narcotic, psychoactive and non-psychoactive drugs listed under Groups I, II & III in Mexico, and has executed a sales agreement with the Chairman of both the 380,000 member Health Care Workers Union in Mexico and the broader 1.2 Million member Union Federation, whereby Esmeralda can expressly distribute and sell all medicinal health and wellness products, including mushrooms, to the Union Federation on a direct basis, with direct payment from the Union, the following is an update to our large scale legal micro-dose mushroom initiative.

UPDATE

The structure of our new pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Mexico is now complete. Considering the restricted working hours of the regulatory authorities in Mexico, (a third of their staff working in person and the excessive accumulated workload due to the outbreak of Covid19 in CdMx), we can safely estimate that by March 15, 2021 or earlier, we are going to be on the market selling in large scale quantities, our mushroom micro-dose product.

Regarding the medical protocols of our product, everything required by law in terms of documentation and formulas has already been presented to the regulatory authorities and we will obtain our authorizations as quickly as allowed by the restrictions imposed by the Pandemic.

The Share Exchange Agreement is subject to the Canadian Securities Exchange once the Mexican Notario Publico has verified the Canadian resolutions including the corporate documents of Captiva Verde.

The exact wording in the Mexican Health Care Workers Union sales agreement is as follows:
https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6138/70274_b0be4ff034a40831_001.jpg

Jeff Ciachurski, the CEO of Captiva Verde states:

"This is an extremely significant milestone in the history of the Company. Without question, this Union agreement transforms Captiva Verde into a player in the legal health and wellness business, as we execute sales to one unified buyer, avoiding middlemen, agents, dealers and brokers, offering directly to the Mexican Union Members significant cost savings that are not available in the wholesale or retail markets."

On Behalf of the Board of Directors
"Jeff Ciachurski"
Jeffrey Ciachurski
Chief Executive Officer and Director
Cell: (949) 903-5906
www.captivaverdecorp.com
E-mail: westernwind@shaw.ca

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Information

This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include regulatory actions, market prices, and continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/70274

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