Creative Adds Experienced Management Focused on Sales,
Marketing, and Distribution
NEW YORK, Feb. 7, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Creative Enterprises International, Inc. (www.creativepi.com) (Pink Sheets:CEII), a national and international marketing and distribution company, and the exclusive North American distributor of Jana Artesian bottled water, announced today that at last week's Aqua Expo fair in Paris, (Europe's largest specialized water fair) Jana water was awarded the Eauscar, for "Highest Quality", which is the highest prize in the natural spring waters category. In 2004, Jana's Strawberry-Guava won the Eauscar for best flavored water.
At this year's Aqua Expo fair in Paris, Europe's largest specialized water fair, Jamnica's Jana water was awarded the highest quality prize in the natural spring waters category - the Eauscar. This is the third Eauscar Jamnica has won for its products.
At one of the most significant European competitions assessing the quality of waters which takes place within the scope of the prestigious Paris Aqua Expo Fair, an international expert jury assessed Jamnica's Jana spring water as the best natural spring water in the competition of the world's most renowned waters.
The presentation ceremony of the Eauscar, which is awarded in four categories, was held in Paris February 3, in the late afternoon. The award was presented by Gerard Bardy, President of the Aqua Expo Fair, to Jamnica's Director of Marketing Mr. Zoran Hrvacanin.
This prestigious award is the third one won in sequence by Jamnica products at the Aqua Expo fairs. At the previous two Aqua Expo exhibitions Jamnica was awarded Eauscars for its Jamnica carbonated mineral water in 2003 and strawberry/guava flavored Jana spring water in 2004.
The international recognition of Jana as the highest quality natural spring water is particularly significant in view of the importance of water as a strategic product on the global market and the fact that the annual bottled water consumption worldwide grows by more than 10 per cent. It is especially the consumption of non-carbonated mineral waters that has recorded strongest growth rates.
Spring water sales in Croatia increased by 11 per cent last year, with Jana holding the indisputable first position with a market share of more than 50 per cent.
This award is a global recognition of Jana's quality, but at the same time a strong contribution to strengthening the Jana brand both on the international and the domestic market. Already last year, Jana was recognized and declared as a natural, non-treated water by the EU and this year this will as well be the case in the US, which is a prerequisite for being successfully marketed and sold on these markets. The strength of the brand is extremely important for a successful approach to the demanding and highly competitive Western-European markets which are the largest consumers of bottled water. With Jana, we have already recorded respectable export results, with exports to EU markets multiplied several times last year and we believe that the Eauscar shall be an additional driving force for the successful realization of our ambitious export plans, said Jamnica's President of the Board Ivica Sertic commenting on another Eauscar award won.
Aqua Expo is one of the most prestigious and largest European water fairs held in France under the auspices of the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Ecology and the Municipal Authorities of the City of Paris. This year's fair, the sixth one in sequence, is held in Paris from February 2-6. Apart from the exhibition which is this year attended by the largest water producers worldwide, Aqua Expo is also specific for being one of the most significant fairs in Europe with expert assessment of bottled waters which this year takes place for the third time in sequence.
The Company also announced that it has added key experienced management personnel to implement its sales, marketing, and distribution program to introduce Jana Artesian water this Spring into the USA and Canadian markets.
Eric Wahl, Chief Marketing Officer:
Eric Wahl has been named Chief Marketing Officer and will head our sales and marketing team in New York and oversee and direct all of the marketing and promotion of Jana bottled waters. Mr. Wahl previously was a partner at the Arno-NA Group, full service marketing and branding agency. Clients included Mercedes Benz, Nintendo, Stila Cosmetics, Puma, and Fiji Water to name a few.
Domencio De Luca, Executive Vice -President National Sales:
Domenico De Luca has been named EVP National Sales and will head our National Sales Program to sell Jana waters into the mass retail chains that include all mass drug chains, supermarkets, convenience stores, and health and fitness chains. Mr. De Luca has relationships with most of the mass merchandisers in both US and Canada.
Eli Feder, Director of Food Service and Specialty Grocery Sales:
Eli Feder has been named Director of Food Services and will lead a team of senior level salesman who specialize in selling into the food service and specialty grocery channels such as hotels, restaurants, schools, arenas, deli's, and corporations. Mr. Feder and his team of salesman have worked for some of the largest food service companies in the country. Mr. Feder has been instrumental in the launch of a number of successful brands in the Food and Beverage category.
Mo Stojnovic, Vice-President of East Coast Sales:
Mo Stojnovic has been named VP of East Coast Sales will lead the Company's sales efforts focusing on distributors and key accounts located initially in the East Coast region. Mr. Stojnovic will also assist the Company in the area of promotions and events focusing on the NYC market.
About Creative Enterprises International, Inc.
CEII is a national and international marketing and distribution company that identifies emerging trends in consumer products. Once CEII identifies a growing trend, it then creates or sources top quality products to fulfill the anticipated consumer market demand. For more information about Creative Enterprises International go to: www.creativepi.com.
About Jamnica d.d.
Jamnica ("JANA"), a wholly owned subsidiary of The Agrokor Group (www.agrokor.hr), is Southeast Europe's largest bottled water manufacturer. Jana Artesian Water (www.janawater.com) is one of the purest and best-tasting sourced water in the world, which flows from a 3,000-year-old aquifer in the hills of St. Jana, located off the coast of the Adriatic Sea. The St. Jana aquifer, located 2,500 feet below ground is responsible for the exceptional taste and healthy mineral composition of the water. Jana Water has won a series of awards for both taste and bottle design, including the prestigious Aqua Expo 2004 and 2005 Eauscar awards, a competition between hundreds of European waters held each year in Paris. Jana is bottled by Jamnica d.d., a division of the Agrokor Group, which bottles over 300,000,000 liters of water annually.
This news release contains forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts. These statements are subject to uncertainties and risks including, but not limited to, risks set forth in documents filed by the company from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All such forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, and whether made by, or on behalf of, the Company, are expressly qualified by these cautionary statements and any other cautionary statements which may accompany the forward-looking statements. In addition, the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.