HKTDC Export Index 4Q20: Hong Kong exports expected to grow 5% in 2021

HONG KONG, Dec 9, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – The HKTDC Export Index, published by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), increased further in the fourth quarter of 2020. The index has now risen for three consecutive quarters – rebounding from a record low of 16.0 to 36.2 – revealing a gradual improvement in the sentiment among local exporters. About 60% of those surveyed for the index anticipate sales will increase or remain unchanged in the coming year. Taking all these factors into consideration, the HKTDC forecasts Hong Kong's exports in 2021 will grow 5% by value year-on-year.

Announcing the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) Export Index for the fourth quarter of 2020 along with the HKTDC export forecast for 2021 are: HKTDC Assistant Principal Economist (Greater China) Alice Tsang, Director of Research Nicholas Kwan and Economist Poon Cheuk-hong [L-R]

HKTDC Director of Research Nicholas Kwan said that while local businesses still have to contend with weakened global demand, disrupted supply chains and elevated protectionism, business operations are expected to begin to revert to a more normal level when the COVID-19 vaccine becomes available, allowing the world economy to stabilise and rebound. "Hong Kong exports have more room to grow with the new opportunities arising from Mainland China's 'dual circulation' policy and the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, coupled with the implementation of a free trade agreement between Hong Kong and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) bloc, and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) which promotes inter-regional trade," Mr Kwan added.

The HKTDC has also made an upward revision to its estimates for this year's total exports, from -10% to -3%. "We are glad to see that the situation is better than expected. Amid the pandemic, local exporters turned swiftly to online sales platforms to connect with buyers and get new orders. Driven by the rise of the stay-at-home economy, the demand for computers, webcams and microphones has increased greatly, making the city's electronics exporters more optimistic about growth opportunities in the coming year," Mr Kwan said.

Export Index rebounds

The HKTDC conducts a survey every quarter, interviewing 500 local exporters from six major industries including machinery, electronics, jewellery, watches and clocks, toys and clothing to gauge their business confidence on near-term export prospects. The readings of the HKTDC Export Index indicate an optimistic or pessimistic outlook, with 50 as the dividing line.

HKTDC Assistant Principal Economist (Greater China) Alice Tsang said the index rose 11.1 points to 36.2 in the fourth quarter with a broad improvement across all major industries. The strongest rebound was seen in the jewellery sector, leaping from 20.1 to 33.0. "However, the index remains in contraction territory, indicating that uncertainties have cast a shadow on the short-term export outlook. Among other issues, the survey showed that the pandemic (54.9%), declining global demand (23.8%) and escalated trade tensions between the United States and Mainland China (9.6%) are the major concerns for Hong Kong exporters," Ms Tsang said.

In terms of major markets, Hong Kong exporters are more confident in the mainland (48.4), Japan (47.3) and ASEAN (47.2), while the outlook for European Union (44.0) and the US (44.4) is less promising. Aside from the main index, all subsidiary indexes revealed an upward trend, showing signs of improvement in trade value, procurement and employment.

Manufacturers show agility

More than 80% of survey respondents said they had been adversely affected by the pandemic over the past three months, with order-size reduction (56.9%), order cancellations (22.3%) and price bargaining (14.0%) cited as the most common downside factors. In response to these challenges, compared with last quarter, an increasing number of local exporters have cut unit prices (27.6%), downsized business (21.8%) or lowered the minimum order quantity (15.5%).

"Meanwhile, Hong Kong companies have shown agility in finding new opportunities such as developing online sales channels (21.8%) and new product categories (13.8%), as well as expanding into the retail market in the mainland and diversifying sales to other overseas markets (3.8%)," Ms Tsang added.

Mainland gets into the spirit

A separate HKTDC survey found that the emergence of a cocktail culture in the mainland has promoted the consumption of spirits, with mainland consumers spending an average of Rmb 3,059 in the past year on buying or drinking spirits, including cocktails (35%), vodka (34%), whisky (33%), brandy (27%), rum (14%) and liqueur (13%). It is expected that the demand for imported liquor such as sake and fruit wine will be on the rise in the coming year.

The average annual spending on imported wine consumed by the survey respondents at home was Rmb 1,407, while that spent for business events and as gifts was Rmb 3,284. France (39%), Spain (12%) and Italy (10%) were the most popular traditional wine regions among those surveyed, while for wines from new producers, they preferred those from the Mainland China (32%), Australia (19%) and Chile (10%).

Mainland consumers prefer to buy wines from large e-commerce platforms (33%), wine stores (25%) and supermarkets (25%). They are also interested in purchasing a wide range of wine accessories such as wine racks (20%), decanters (18%), wine stoppers (15%), glasses (12%) and bottle openers (12%).

HKTDC Economist Poon Cheuk-hong said: "Mainland consumers now have a better understanding of wine. Hong Kong wine dealers looking to tap into the mainland market should consider importing less famous yet high-quality wines from different countries. To match with mainland consumers' habit of purchasing wine through multiple channels, Hong Kong traders should adopt an online-to-offline sales and marketing model."

The survey was conducted in May 2020 with about 1,500 middle-class mainland consumers from Guangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu, Harbin, Changsha, Nanjing and Xian polled through an online questionnaire.

References
– HKTDC Research website: http://research.hktdc.com/
– Hong Kong Export Index 4Q20: Exporter Sentiment Improves as Initial Covid-19 Shockwave Recedes https://bit.ly/2JpnkYX
– Hong Kong Export Outlook for 2021: A Cautious, Fragile Recovery Awaits https://bit.ly/3g9NM4p
– China's Wine and Spirits Market (1): Wine Consumption Trends and Habits https://bit.ly/3qnapr7
– China's Wine and Spirits Market (2): Imported Wine Selection Criteria https://bit.ly/2I7Q2N4
– China's Wine and Spirits Market (3): Spirits Purchase Preferences https://bit.ly/37xFmA5
– Podcast: https://bit.ly/3qGnpZ4
– Photo download: https://bit.ly/33QANQn

About HKTDC

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via trade publications, research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedIn

Media enquiries
Please contact the HKTDC's Communication and Public Affairs Department:
Beatrice Lam, Tel: +852 2584 4049, Email: beatrice.hy.lam@hktdc.org

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

Captiva Verde Land Corp. Announces Solargram Farms’ Completion of Successful New Brunswick Outdoor Cannabis Harvest with One of the Highest Reported THC and Terpene Values in Canada

Coquitlam, British Columbia, Nov 30, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – Captiva Verde Land Corp. (CSE: PWR) (the "Company"), is extremely pleased to announce that Solargram Farms Corporation ("Solargram"), a holder of a Federal Health Canada License to cultivate, test, harvest and sell cannabis, has successfully completed its first large scale cannabis outdoor farm harvest with record THC and terpene results.

First Year Harvest Results

The Solargram cannabis harvest began on September 17th and was completed on October 30th with final processing completed on November 27, 2020. The Solargram team is credited with a final harvest of approximately 13,000 plants over 350,000 square feet of outdoor farm grown canopy resulting in 15,000 kg of wet cannabis. This harvest is ranked as one of Canada's top single largest, and lowest cost outdoor legal cannabis crop in Canadian history and is also the largest outdoor cannabis crop ever grown and harvested in New Brunswick.

Very Low Cost of Production Results

Exceeding expectations, the year one total grow cost of production, including direct labor and direct materials, were CDN $0.05/gram wet; $0.22/gram dry which ranks as one of the top tier, lowest cost of cannabis production facilities in the Canadian cannabis industry.

Cannabis is a commodity within the CPG (consumer packaging goods) industry. Lowest cost and highest quality wins. Solargram is a major market disruptor and differentiator as its high quality, very low cost of production, allows its planned high cannabinoid full spectrum and distillate oil products to be sold at prices that are produced at a fraction of its competitors' cost of production. This competitive advantage will allow Solargram to become a leader in the Canadian cannabis market place commencing in 2021.

HIGH THC REPORTED – Independent Laboratory Test Results

Solargram produced and harvested approximately 35 genetics of which its R2 strain, representing 65% of its year one outdoor cannabis crop, produced a COA (certificate of analysis) from an independent laboratory supplier at 21.53% THC and 2.7% terpenes.

The independent THC laboratory results received for the top five genetics produced, representing the harvested crop include:

R2 (21.53%); Bitter Cherry Punch (18.81%); Gelatoz (17.59%);
Black Garlic (18.86%); New York Purple Diesel (19.66%)

These significant high THC results rival and/or exceed indoor cannabis grown facilities in Canada. Independent test results also validate the crop is pesticide and heavy metal free.

100% of the Solargram shares are held in an escrow account to be transferred to Captiva Verde in exchange for 35 Million Captiva Verde shares subject to a tight pooling agreement, and subject to Health Canada approving an in-process application by all the Captiva Verde Officers and Directors to pass a security clearance and CSE approval.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors
"Jeff Ciachurski"
Jeffrey Ciachurski
Chief Executive Officer and Director
Cell: (949) 903-5906
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/69147

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

BrewBilt Closes $550k in New Orders Just This Week with Oakland Based Brewery Along with $1.2M in Quotes to Restaurants

SACRAMENTO, CA, Nov 23, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – Today BrewBilt Manufacturing Inc. (the "Company") (OTCPINK: BBRW), announced that the company received $550,000 in new orders this week, while it filed its Form-10Q ending September 30, 2020 with approximately $1M in sales, up from $500,000 in 2019 for the same period; with more than $700,000 net profit up from $100,000 in 2019. The company is showing gains of 5X, while reducing liabilities in the amount of $100,000 compared to 2019.

Jef Lewis, CEO, stated, "With the projected $20M in brewery revenue for 2021, BrewBilt received several orders this week, including SGIC's order of $45,000 for the new consumer 2BBL home brewery which will debut in 2021 in our advertising campaign, and a commercial order from Ghost Town Brewer in Oakland, California for $500,000, inclusive of our new fully automated brewery consisting of 30 BBL. Ghost Town will also receive our newest accessory Mobile Flow Meter which allows the user to monitor the volume of liquid being transferred from vessel to vessel. The new flow meter is a first in the industry and will sell for $7,500."

The company launched a new advertising campaign this quarter with multiple major trade media, inclusive of Food & Beverage and Pizza Today print and digital media. The first ads were released in October and as a result the company received $1.2M in quotes from restaurants that want to brew beer to increase their net profits and offer their own brand. "Quotes turn into real purchase orders which result in more revenue. This is part of a multifaceted strategy to build revenues in the USA, Europe and Asia. Currently with $3M in orders, and $15M in quotes from customers waiting for COVID to pass, realizes our projected 2021 revenue of $20M." Stated Jef Lewis, CEO.

Watch Video Success Stories:
https://www.brewbilt.com/success-stories
https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=eAtMrDj7PYA&feature=youtu.be

ABOUT BREWBILT: (www.brewbilt.com)

Located in the Sierra Foothills of Northern California, BrewBilt is one of the only California companies that custom designs, hand crafts, and integrates processing, fermentation and distillation processing systems for the craft beer, cannabis and hemp industries using "Best in Class" American made components integrated with stainless steel processing vessels using only American made steel. Founded in 2014, the company began in a backyard shop by Jef Lewis with a vision of creating a profitable company in "Rural America". BrewBilt has built a solid foundation by having strong relationships with local suppliers of raw materials, equipment and services in California, an aggressive referral network of satisfied customers nationwide, and an Advisory Board consisting of successful business leaders that provide valuable product feedback and business expertise to management. The craft brewing & spirits industries continue to grow worldwide. California is where craft brewing began and now has over 900 operating breweries – being centrally located in this booming market was a large draw for BrewBilt to locate its manufacturing facility in the Sierra foothills. All BrewBilt products are designed and fabricated as "food grade" quality which enables the company to build vessels for food & beverage processing. More important, the company has been building systems that are pharmaceutical grade for clients involved in distillation for the cannabis and hemp industries over the past 36 months, thus making the revenue potential much greater.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This document contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements provide current expectations or forecasts of future events and are not guarantees of future performance, nor should they be relied upon as representing management's views as of any subsequent date. The forward-looking statements are based on management's expectations and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially include, without limitation, the Corporation's ability to effectively execute its business plans; changes in general economic and financial market conditions; changes in interest rates; changes in the competitive environment; continuing consolidation in the financial services industry; new litigation or changes in existing litigation; losses, customer bankruptcy, claims and assessments; changes in banking regulations or other regulatory or legislative requirements affecting the Corporation's business; and changes in accounting policies or procedures as may be required by the Financial Accounting Standards Board or other regulatory agencies. Management may elect to update forward-looking statements at some future point; however, it specifically disclaims any obligation to do so.

Contact:
Jef Lewis, Chairman and CEO
BrewBilt Manufacturing Inc. – BBRW
Call or Text: 530-802-5023
Info@BrewBilt.com

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

Captiva Verde Comprehensive Update

Coquitlam, British Columbia, Nov 2, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – Captiva Verde Land Corp. (CSE: PWR) (OTC: CPIVF) (the "Company"), is pleased to report an update on all of our major operating business segments plus our recommendation of a financial newsletter written by an award winning portfolio manager.

Financial Newsletter – Grit Capital

Captiva Verde sponsored an investor event in Las Vegas in December 2019 with Grit Capital. Beginning November 1, 2020, Grit Capital has launched a very efficient and easy to read, fun, exceedingly informative, and highly impactful Investment Newsletter that covers emerging trends, themes and investment ideas which is based on where big money and momentum is moving in the market, long before the general investing public studies the available information. The newsletter is written by Genevieve Roch-Decter, CFA, a former $100 Million+ small cap portfolio manager who's fund was ranked #1 for 3 of the 7 years she ran it (as ranked by Globe & Mail – GlobeFunds). We strongly recommend all of our shareholders and all interested friends and family to subscribe to the free newsletter at https://gritcapital.substack.com

Solargram Farms ("SGF")

SGF just completed its 1st year harvest in Renauds Mills NB, growing 13,000 plants over approximately 20 acres within its Health Canada 50 acre licensed outdoor cannabis cultivation footprint (total 130 acres land package for future expansion). SGF averaged 1 person per acre from the grow team to grow the first year harvest and made approximately 95% of the operating costs, variable costs.

SGF obtained its cultivation license on June 26th in the middle of the Covid19 Pandemic and successfully planted, nurtured, and subsequently finished the fall harvest last Sunday. SGF has harvested approximately 16,000kg of cannabis which will yield approximately 3800kg of dried cannabis. SGF has purposely planned produced approximately 500 to 600kg of cured dried flower within the larger harvested product this year, that is destined for bulk sales to customers over the next 4 to 6 weeks that will commence the monetization of sales. This initial planned sales represents less than 15% of the harvest volume that will generate over $1.6 million in sales that is expected to cover all of the 2021 forecasted operating expenses before commencing producing the much higher valued, oil extracted based cannabis products that have been requested by our customers.

The balance of the harvested product has now been milled and will be sent to the extraction partner for oil processing as soon as SGF's obtains the Health Canada sales and processing license which is expected within six weeks. This processed oil extract will allow SGF to produce planned scheduled products that will satisfy the customer's request for product. The first year estimated sales will be in excess of $15,000,000 starting early 2021 at a forecast 60-70% gross margin. The two main harvested genetics which comprises 85% of the crop has initially tested 19%-22% THC which is a major win for such a large outdoor grown crop. Further broader representative sample testing will be done once the harvest is completely dried within another week which we expect will be within the same relevant range previously obtained.

SGF's has commenced growing the 2021 season mothers and clones and expects to produce 20,000 plants with very low additional capital costs, expecting that will in fact more than double the 2021 production yield and sales on the same 2020 production footprint.

We remain a debt free company and, as a result, will be able to provide shareholders with a significant return on investment once sales and profitability materializes in 2021.

Sage Ranch

The final Planning Commission approval looks like it will be on December 9. After that date we wait 45 days and we can begin construction. We have over 200 families on the waiting list to purchase homes and we have engaged Keller Williams – Paul Morris Forward Living to sell our remaining units to the 1 million people who live within a 40 minute drive and a further 25 million people who live within a 2 hour drive of the subdivision.

We expect the entire 1,000 units ($400 Million) to sell out and this upcoming Planning Commission approval is a game changing event. Entry Level Real Estate prices have soared and demand is very high as California is short 2.4 million entry level homes.

Esmeralda

Our new pharmaceutical manufacturing plant structure is completed. We have 3 more weeks of electrical, plumbing and finishing touches. We have generated an equipment list and the final step is purchasing and installing the manufacturing equipment. We expect this completed by year end which is to fulfil our USD $142 Million yearly sales contract with the Health Care Workers Union.

Miss Envy

We have designed some product for Asia and getting very positive feedback on the product quality. Working towards the next steps of larger acceptance by various groups in Asia. Miss Envy is providing both Mexico (Esmeralda) and Solargram with product strategies and assistance in preparing for revenue sales in both Canada and Mexico.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors
"Jeffrey Ciachurski"
Jeffrey Ciachurski
Chief Executive Officer and Director
Cell: (949) 903-5906
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/67309

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

80 Acres Farms Raises Funding Round Led by Barclays to Accelerate Growth in Automated Vertical Farming Technology

Hamilton, Ohio, Nov 2, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – 80 Acres Farms, the sustainable solution for fresh, pesticide-free food, announced that it added Barclays as a strategic investor in the business, joining Virgo Investments, Orange Wings Capital, QuietStar Capital, and other family office investors.

80 Acres Farms'. Fully-Automated vertical farm located in Hamilton, OH

80 Acres Farms is a 2019 fellow from the Unreasonable Impact Americas program and award winner recognized for their work addressing the global pandemic's effects. 80 Acres Farms addresses both sustainability and food security through growing food differently with vertical farming technology and reducing water usage by 97% on less than 1% of the land, with 300x the yield.

Mike Zelkind, CEO of 80 Acres Farms, said: "There has been an explosion in demand for fresh, locally grown, nutritious food, and this investment round enables us to continue to meet that demand at the right unit economics. We look forward to developing our relationship with Barclays and their global network through our shared passion for enhancing sustainability in this industry."

Andrew Challis, Co-Head of Principal Investments at Barclays, said: "80 Acres Farms can shorten the vulnerable, carbon-intensive supply chain and secure retailers and consumers with consistent, safe, fresh, sustainably grown food. This is an exciting investment proposition for Barclays as it supports our clients' and consumers' transition to a low-carbon economy and underpins our ambition to take a leading role in tackling climate change."

80 Acres Farms operates eight indoor farms in the US, including a new state of the art facility in Hamilton, Ohio – built by an affiliated company, Infinite Acres – that will deliver 10 million servings in its first year. You can find 80 Acres' product of just-picked salads, tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs, and microgreens at Kroger, Whole Foods, The Fresh Market, Dorothy Lane Markets, Jungle Jim's Markets, and key National Foodservice Distributors including Sysco and US Foods.

About 80 Acres Farms

80 Acres Farms is a vertical farming leader providing customers with the freshest and most nutritious fruits and vegetables at affordable prices. Utilizing world-class technology and analytics, the Company offers customers a wide variety of pesticide-free food with a longer shelf life that exceeds the highest food safety standards.

For further information, please contact us at:
rebecca.haders@eafarms.com / +1 513-910-9089

About Barclays Sustainable Impact Capital initiative

As part of its broader commitments, Barclays will invest GBP175m of its own capital, led by the Principal Investments team, in fast-growing, innovative, environmentally-focused companies whose values are aligned with those of Barclays and which target the goals and timelines of the Paris Agreement. Investments will be strategic to Barclays, its clients, and the communities it serves, with clear scalable propositions that deliver both environmental benefits and economic returns.

Barclays ESG Report 2019 https://www.newsfilecorp.com/redirect/NaGbHqqEZ

For further information, please contact us at:
Investment Enquiries: PITeamInbox@barclays.com
Media Enquiries: emily.stead2@barclays.com / +44 (0) 7796 706166

Related Images
80 Acres Farms Newest Location https://www.newsfilecorp.com/redirect/XawbHee4o
80 Acres Farms'. Fully-Automated vertical farm located in Hamilton, OH

Related Links
Ground-Breaking Companies Join the 10th Unreasonable Impact Program https://www.newsfilecorp.com/redirect/DxNbtwwJe
80 Acres adds Walmart, Dole execs to leadership team as it gears up for growth https://www.newsfilecorp.com/redirect/rJ3ouOOjp

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/67308

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

Taiwan’s Sugarcane Straws Explore US Market

TAIPEI, Oct 27, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – Taiwan not only invented bubble tea that has created a global phenomenon, one of the country's vibrant startup firms has also come up with eco versions of straws that allow you sip through and enjoy chewy tapioca balls, or oversized 'bubbles', in beverages. Among many green solutions providers, Taiwan Plants Fiber Tech Alliance (PFTA) makes plastic-free, bio-degradable straws and cutlery out of sugarcanes and other agricultural waste. It now aims to expand the green product to the US.

PFTA focuses on circular application of agricultural materials and natural plant fiber, such as sugarcane fiber straw, fulfilling the concept of zero waste.

According to the World Bank, the world produced 242 million tons of plastic waste in 2016, 57 million tons originated from Asia Pacific, 45 million tons from Europe and Central Asia, and 35 million tons from North America, and that there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish in 2050 if no action is taken.

In addition, recycling systems around the world are breaking down due to Covid-19 budget strains. Recycling is not enough; a more creative solution is replacing plastic. As Taiwan's bubble tea has taken the world by storm in recent years, its indispensable partner, the straw, is becoming eco-friendly and cool.

PFTA chose sugarcane and plant fibers as raw materials to make one-time or reusable cutlery. Its sugarcane straw is nicknamed 'savior for bubble tea lovers' since Taiwan, home of bubble tea, banned the use of plastic straws at the end of 2019. But long before that, PFTA's sugarcane straw was already welcomed by the Canadian market.

"In 2016, I posted our sugarcane straw on social media to celebrate the success of its commercialization after years of R&D efforts. An interested party from Canada immediately contacted me. He ordered two containers right away," said James Chen, founder and CEO of PFTA. Even if sugarcane straws are twice as expensive as plastic ones, orders from Canada continued to increase. Now this very first customer of PFTA has become its business partner in Canada and has established production lines in Edmonton.

"Sugarcane is grown in abundance in Taiwan. In the Japanese colonial age, sugarcane was a pillar of local economy. Until today, many elderly in Taiwan still share the childhood memories of chewing sugarcanes for fun. Therefore, we manufacture sugarcane straws when there are straws made from cornstarch, paper, bamboo or stainless steel," Chen said.

He said that another reason he chose to use sugarcane is to help reduce agricultural waste. Taiwan is "the kingdom of fruits and vegetables". Abundant agricultural produce means abundant waste. Peels of pineapples, bananas, papayas, or even coffee grounds can be a burden to the environment since they produce methane in the compost or landfills and increase CO2 emission when incinerated.

ASEAN governments also welcome sugarcane straws as bubble tea is getting more popular in their countries. Thailand is the first to adopt PFTA's sugarcane straws. Malaysia banned the use of plastic straws in 2019, Bali and Jakarta of Indonesia banned them in 2020. Striving for a greener future and enforcing its marketing efforts, PFTA approached Green Trade Project Office (GTPO) under Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs for overseas promotional support.

Sugarcane straw is just one of PFTA's many plastic-free products. The company core technology is in its green materials: PFP (Plant Fiber Polymer) No.1 for making reusable products such as plates, bowls, toys, and building materials; and PFP No.2 for single use straws, spoons, and forks.

Chen said that compared with many other countries, the US is a late-comer in adopting green, biodegradable sugarcane straws. This means great market potentials for PFTA. "We are dedicated to establishing a zero-plastic future and circular economy. It's a long, hard journey but we have confidence because we've seen more and more people answering our call."

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

KFC Indonesia Presents Naughty by Nature, The First Lifestyle-dining and Salad Bar

JAKARTA, Oct 26, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – KFC Indonesia presents Naughty by Nature, a lifestyle dining and salad bar restaurant which is a breakthrough originally concepted by KFC Indonesia. Naughty by Nature which is located at Jalan Senopati no. 24A South Jakarta was officially opened for public since Friday, October 16, 2020, in coincide with KFC Indonesia's 41st anniversary. Green lifestyle trends among urbanites and culinary trends which always evolve along with times and technology developement become the inspiration for KFC Indonesia to keep innovating and offering different dining experiences. Naughty by Nature offers exciting new way to enjoy salads and vegetables, by combining it with KFC's signature chicken as the protein.

Naughty by Nature aims to fulfill consumers who are cravings for salad whilst still want to consume other foods that are more fulfilling as well. Naughty by Nature's signature menu is Meal Market Platter, where consumers can freely combine various choices of KFC chicken such as Grilled Chicken, O.R Chicken, Hot and Crispy, and Chicken Skin as the protein with a wide selection of vegetables ranging from fresh vegetables such as kale caesar, sweet potato salad, kale slaw to grilled vegetables such as roasted baby potatoes, mashed potatoes, zucchini gratin and others as side dish. Naughty by Nature also offers a variety of innovative food creations bringing KFC chicken into gourmet-style dishes such as chicken tacos, pasta, KFC chicken geprek; and egg-based foods and various snacks which can surely be enjoyed by everyone and according to Indonesian taste reference. Moreover, Naughty by Nature also offers various kinds of drinks such as smoothies, milkshakes and coffee, as well as desserts.

Naughty by Nature comes with a totally different concept from any KFC outlets in Indonesia. Displaying an open kitchen for consumers to see how their food is freshly prepared. Located in a strategic area at the center of Jakarta which is easily accessible, Naughty by Nature targets the urbanites with modern lifestyle who like to try new culinary trends, enjoy socializing and prefer an 'instagrammable' restaurant atmosphere. Naughty by Nature restaurant offers a cozy, trendy and luxurious lifestyle dining style that will make consumers feel comfortable hanging out with family and friends while enjoying delicious and fun dishes. The cool and trendy impression at Naughty by Nature outlet is also supported by the existence of a music lounge/podcast room on the dining area's mezzanine floor. With 150 visitor of total capacity and carrying eco-friendly concept, Naughty by Nature ambience is dominated with calming earth-tone colors, wood-nuanced, and open space concept.

Hendra Yuniarto, General Manager Marketing of PT Fast Food Indonesia stated, "As part of cultivating the original idea of KFC Indonesia to introduce a lifestyle dining and salad bar to consumers, we have conducted research and development (R&D) in developing Naughty by Nature concept and menu. Not only the concept of restaurants and menus, we also choose natural concept for our exterior and interior design which closely related to current urban green lifestyle. The presence of Naughty by Nature aims to fill the gap in the culinary market targeted at consumers who love to consume vegetables but still want savory, fun, filling up and appetizing dish."

As we are still within the transition period of the pacdemic, Naughty by Nature implements strict health protocol system as required by the Government for safety, health and mutual comfort, including limiting restaurant visitor capacity by 50% with operating times from 10:00 – 18:00 on Monday-Thursday and from 07:00 – 18:00 on Friday-Sunday. To see Naughty by Nature various and fun menu and see the restaurant concept, consumers can easily find them on @Naughtybynaturekfc Instagram account or scan the following QR code for the menu.

ABOUT PT FAST FOOD INDONESIA TBK

PT Fast Food Indonesia, Tbk. Established in 1978 and hold the retail business license of KFC Indonesia. The first KFC built in 1979 in Jakarta. The superior products of KFC are New Improved Original Recipe and Hot Crispy Chicken that become the most loved fried chicken in several consumers survey in Indonesia. On the journey, KFC continues to add its superior menu collections.

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

For further informations:
Ika Diah Rhanny
PT Fast Food Indonesia
T: +62 21 72791777
E: ikah.diah@ffi.co.id

Dita Wasis
Eureka! PR
T: +62 811 165 195
E: dita@eureka-id.net

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

Leading U.S. Government-Accredited Lab Confirms Path-Away(R) Natural Active Ingredient Can Kill Actual COVID-19 Virus Within Two Minutes, First In The World

Sydney, Kuala Lumpur, Bluffton, SC (USA), Oct 20, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – A leading laboratory acceredited with U.S. Government agencies has released test results which confirm that Path-Away® – a plant-based active ingredient that contains no chemicals or alcohol – can kill the actual virus that causes COVID-19 within two minutes, the global distributor of Path-Away® announced today.

Holista Colltech Limited (ASX: HCT, or Holista), the Malaysian-based global distributor, and Global Infection Control Consultants, LLC (GICC LLC), the developer of Path-Away®, said they believe the tests confirm the active ingredient to be the world's first totally natural and safe organic disinfectant to meet the U.S. testing standard.

The independent tests of the Path-Away® Anti Pathogenic Aerosol Solution on SARS-CoV-2, the actual virus that causes COVID-19, were undertaken by Microbac Laboratories, Inc. (Microbac) in the United States. With over 50 years' experience, Microbac is accredited under the U.S. Department of Defence (DoD) and Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP).

The Microbac tests were conducted using the direct inoculation method and follow successful tests in an approved laboratory in the United Kingdom (completed in April 2020) of the efficacy of Path-Away® against the feline coronavirus which is a recognised surrogate of SARS-CoV-2. Path-Away® has also proven to be effective against a broad spectrum of microbes including the SARS and the H1N1 viruses.

Listed on the Australia Securities Exchange (ASX), Holista distributes Path-Away® under its own NatShield™ and Protectene™ brands. Apart from a hand sanitiser, Holista and GICC LLC are also co-developing a NatShield™ nasal balm that will include Path-Away®. This balm is expected to be launched before the end of 2020.

The latest test results will significanly accelerate efforts to roll out the M3 System®, also developed by GICC LLC, which can disinfect large buildings by dispensing Path-Away® through heating, ventilation and air-conditioning ("HVAC") systems to treat harmful pathogens, including airborne viruses.

GICC LLC, based in Bluffton, South Carolina, has recently secured a 36-month contract with the U.S. Government to manufacture and install up to 10 million units of its M3 System® in large buildings. The system measures, monitors and contains airborne (aerosol) viruses, pathogens and other biological contaminants.

Holista and GICC LLC concurrently announced that they will form a 51:49 joint-venture company in Singapore which will have the rights to manufacture the M3 System® outside the United States. Holista is exclusive global distributor of the M3 System® excluding the United States, China and the Gulf states.

Apart from global distribution rights of Path-Away® for use as a sanitiser under the NatShield™ and Protectene™ brands, Holista also has rights to distribute Path-Away® for use in aerosolised disinfection of buildings using a high-pressure fogger.

Dr Arthur V Martin, the president of GICC LLC, commented: "To the best of my knowledge, this is the first time a completely natural, all-organic compound has been successfully proven to kill the actual virus causing COVID-19, to 99.9% within two minutes. We are excited because this will allow us to speed up the formal U.S. Government process of listing on the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) "N-List". EPA expects the products on "List N" to kill SARS-CoV-2 within two minutes. This will also allow for a wider use of this all-natural disinfectant for human use. The findings by Microbac confirm what we have known about the effectiveness of Path-Away® on other coronaviruses. The results are also particularly pleasing in light of recent research that showed that COVID-19 can survive on surfaces far longer than scientists had originally calculated."

Dr. Roscoe Moore Jr., D.V.M., Ph.D., D.Sc., Former Assistant U.S. Surgeon and member of the Global Virus Network and its International COVID-19 Taskforce, said "There is a big need for natural and human friendly disinfectants that can be used frequently and safely without long term health side effects and while being environmentally safe. The recent tests from Microbac are most welcome as the public is looking for an agent that acts specifically against COVID-19". Dr Moore also chairs Holista's Scientific Advisory Board.

Dr Rajen Manicka, Chief Executive Officer of Holista, commented: "This product will address the significant untapped global market for all-natural disinfectants that are safe to be used on hands and faces. The results from Microbac will give our customers a greater level of confidence that NatShield™ and Protectene™ can be effective on skin, surfaces and as an aerosol, against the highly contagious COVID-19 causing virus. We have fielded enquiries from large organisations which need to disinfect buildings and facilities with sizeable human traffic. We are also preparing a submission to the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) for approval to label our Natshield™ and Protectene™ range of sanitizing and disinfectant products, as well as to have Natshield approved for aerosol delivery through fogging units and through buildings' HVAC systems in Australia."

Information of Path-Away® and Microbac Test Results

How Path-Away® Works

Path-Away® attaches itself to the virus and inhibits its ability to take up amino acids – their basic building block. This forces the viruses to clump together, in the process killing themselves, almost instantly. The compound is environmentally safe with very low toxicity and does not harm humans and pets.

Details of Results of Tests Conducted By Microbac

– Cells containing the SARS-CoV-2 virus were seeded in 24-well plates and 2.0 mL (millilitres) of Path-Away® was added to the (live frozen samples – thawed out) dried virus inoculum and held for the contact time of 2 minutes at 21 degrees C with 53% relative humidity (RH). For the test to be deemed successful, Path-Away® must demonstrate a ≥ 3 Log10 reduction on each test carrier in the presence or absence of cytotoxicity.

– Path-Away® achieved this benchmark in each of the 24 instances (100% success rate). All controls met the criteria for a valid test and Microbac's conclusions are based on observed data.

– Log Reduction stands for a 10-fold (one decimal) or 90% reduction in numbers of live bacteria. A 3-Log Reduction equates to a 99.9% reduction – greater than 1,000 time reduction in potentially harmful microorganisms.

– Path-Away®, killed 99.9% (≥ 3 Log10) of the COVID-19 causing virus on a hard surface after being exposed to Path-Away®.

– The full test report and process will be featured on the Holista website at https://www.holistaco.com/

About Holista Colltech Limited

Holista Colltech Ltd ("Holista") is a natural wellness company with the following divisions:
– Dietary supplements
– Food Ingredients
– Ovine collagen
– Infection Control Solutions

Holista has a global collaboration with Global Infection Control Consultants LLC to use Path-Away®, a plant-based solution that is proven to kill a broad spectrum of microbes. The all-natural alcohol-free active ingredient is used in Holista's range of disinfectant products under the NatShield™ brand.

For further information, please contact:
Corporate Matters: investor@holistaco.com
General Enquiries: enquiries@holistaco.com

Global Investor relations and media enquiries:
WeR1 Consultants Pte Ltd
E: holista@wer1.net
T: +65 673 74 844

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

Nufarm and CROP.ZONE Announce Cooperation to Bring Alternative Weed Control to Major European Markets

Aachen, Germany, Oct 19, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – The Australian crop protection and specialty seed company, Nufarm and the German AgTech startup, CROP.ZONE have entered into a cooperation agreement. The collaboration aims for launching Nufarm and CROP.ZONE's hybrid herbicide solutions across major European markets, starting with the implementation of an early adopters program for the 2021 season in Benelux and Germany from 2021 onwards.

CROP.ZONE, Alternative Weed Control

The innovative, patented solutions complement existing, synthetic herbicides, providing farmers a competitive and sustainable alternative for weed management, contributing to yield optimization and farm profitability while contributing to sustainability goals.

Nufarm and CROP.ZONE combine chemical and physical processes to create a compelling and sustainable method of weed control. By pre-treating plants with an organic regulated conductive liquid and sequentially applying electrical charge, the company can control weeds with a very high degree of efficiency and lower energy consumption than conventional weeding technologies. Nufarm and CROP.ZONE offer a safe, reliable, and environmentally friendly alternative to make European agriculture more sustainable.

The solution will first be made available to farmers in Germany and the Benelux countries in 2021.

Dirk Vandenhirtz, CEO – Partner of CROP.ZONE, says, "We are delighted to have found a strategic partner in Nufarm, which has more than 100 years of experience in crop protection and has a grown relationship with a strong network of distributors across Europe. Our solutions comply with organic farming guidelines and offer farmers a fast, efficient, and cost-effective alternative to known chemical treatments."

Hildo Brilleman, Regional General Manager EuMEA at Nufarm, adds, "For us as herbicide specialists, this new technology, with its broad mode of action, is an exciting innovation in crop protection that will help to make agriculture more sustainable. With it, we can offer our customers a real alternative to our proven chemical solutions at competitive prices, especially in those crops where chemical weed control options have been reduced and where alternative technologies are requested."

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, showing 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. With this CROP.ZONE offers an alternative in farmers' toolbox in a context of increased regulatory demands and societal expectations. The innovative, patented CROP.ZONE solution can replace a significant part of today's synthetic herbicide use, providing a competitive alternative for weed management, hence contributing to yield optimization and farm profitability while contributing to sustainability goals. With its solutions, CROP.ZONE is positioning itself within the future of agriculture.

Media Contact at Nufarm
Christian Haschka
christian.haschka@nufarm.com
+49 152 29 40 58 71

Media Contact at CROP.ZONE
Michiel de Jongh
Michiel.DeJongh@crop.zone
+49 240 859 803 50

Related Images
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CROP.ZONE
Alternative Weed Control

Related Links
CROP.ZONE
CROP.ZONE on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/cropzone/

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/66291

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

NR Instant Produce (NRF) IPO: First Thai Listing in Plant-based Food Business

BANGKOK, Oct 9, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – NR Instant Produce PCL (SET: NRF), a leading manufacturer and exporter of food and condiments, advanced its investment plan following its official listing on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) with the distinction of being the first listed Thai company in the field of plant-based food. NRF have demonstrated the clear vision to become the world-leading food producer and the first Thai company to move forward as a leader in the field of plant-based food with the policy to become "The Purpose-Led Company", meaning a company that drives the organisation and the brands towards clearly defined goals. The Company is also determined to conduct its businesses in a sustainable manner so as to become the top-of-mind processed food manufacturer at the international level.

Mr. Dan Pathomvanich, Chief Executive Officer of NR Instant Produce PCL (NRF) announced that the Company's
shares began trading today on the SET under NRF to increase its financial strength and the capability to expand its businesses to support the advance toward the leadership in the food industry at the global level and for the Company to become the �platform for future food�. NRF is well recognised as the manufacturer, procurer and distributor of condiments, processed food and processed food ingredients, vegan food without eggs and milk in the ingredients, food from plant protein and instant drinks in both liquid and powder forms, as well as non-food consumer products in V-shape packaging (friendly to consumers and the environment).

The Company's long-term goal is to become a producer of "food for the future" with the emphasis on food innovations that will help to create sustainability for the entire food industry ecosystem, through a policy of becoming a "purpose-led company" to leverage exponential growth with sales revenues increasing to 3,000 million baht within the next five years (2024), from 2019, when sales totaled 1,111 million baht. NRF will concentrate on Thai food and ethnic food, plant-based food, and consumer-friendly functional products.

Following the listing on the SET, the Company plans to increase its outlay in 2020-2022 with 1,068 million baht in investment, divided into 270 million baht in the ethnic food group through the increase in manufacturing capacity and improvement in the Company's manufacturing process, and that of City Food's that will help to increase production by about 35 percent from today's 19,000 tons per year, as well as the plan to buy the remaining 85 percent shares in City Food Company Limited, where the Company has already invested 15 percent of registered capital.

The company has its manufacturing facilities in Nakhon Pathom and Ratchaburi provinces. The investment in the plant-based food business group will involve a budget of 408 million baht divided into the construction of a plant-based food manufacturing plant in Thailand; The procurement of plant-based manufacturing plants in the United Kingdom and the United States through a joint venture with The Brecks Company Limited (Brecks) to set up Plant and Bean Limited in England. At present, NRF holds 25 percent of this venture and plans to increase the share in the company by another 25 percent to 50 percent in 2021; The investment increases in Big Idea Venture and New Protein Fund 1 to leverage the opportunity to access more customers by being the preferred co-packer for startups as well as to access the latest knowledge and technology in this industry; and the investment in the second production line for konnyaku to increase production capacity that is expected to ramp up production in Q4/2020.

There is also the investment in functional product business group which consists of non-food consumer products contained in packaging that are friendly to consumers and the environment (V-shape), with the plan to co-invest 90 million baht in the another five V-shape production lines following the Company's contract signing with Fluid Energy Group Limited, the innovation leader in environmentally-friendly chemicals to service V-shape machinery for the production of sanitization products for sale in Canada, the United States and the Middle East, as well as an over 300 million baht investment in E-Commerce platforms through the joint venture with Boosted ECommerce Inc. (Boosted) in two areas – The investment in Boosted group of companies to manage the third-party sellers' e-commerce businesses on the Amazon e-commerce platform and to set up a consumer package goods joint venture in food manufacturing (including pet food).

Ms Veena Lertnimitr, Executive Vice President Investment Banking Function, Siam Commercial Bank Plc., in the capacity as the financial advisor and underwriter, said NRF is a company that is not only conducting its businesses for profit but also places great importance on sustainable supply chain, from the procurement process to production, storage, logistics and distribution. At the same time, the Company also holds significance among all stakeholder groups from upstream to downstream to provide food products with superb taste and for health benefit, allowing the consumers to choose to their utmost satisfaction. Most important is the environmentally friendliness through the creation of products for sustainable Earth, and innovating excellent products that are friendly to the society and the environment, such as the reduction of animal meat consumption replaced by plant-based protein that can fulfill the lifestyle demand of the Millennial (Gen Me) generation who possess high purchasing power.

As such, NRF is the first listed firm in Thailand whose business is the production of products from "plant-based food for the future" and therefore, has received great response from both fund managers and individual investors during the IPO period. This is also due to the Company's solid business foundation and future growth opportunities.

Released by Public Relations Dept., MT Multimedia Co., Ltd. for NR Instant Produce Plc.

For additional information, please contact:
Orn-anong (Fah) Pattaravejkul
Tel: +66 86 801 88888
Email: ornanong.p@mtmultimedia.com

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