Interbrew, The World's Local Brewer©, has announced the introduction of a new innovative beer packaging called PIVOPACK. The introduction of the first "monolayer barrier enhanced PET bottle" worldwide, puts Interbrew at the forefront of worldwide innovation. Starting in the Russian market with Klinskoye®, the PIVOPACK packaging technology will gradually be introduced to other markets with increasing consumer demand for beer packed in PET, the company reported.

PIVOPACK is based on a breakthrough, cost-optimised, single layer barrier enhanced resin technology. The excellent barrier properties of PIVOPACK offer an outstanding protection against oxygen and light, whilst keeping the carbonation inside the bottle. These properties allow Interbrew to guarantee the freshness and quality of the beer in combination with the convenience of a PET bottle: light and unbreakable!

"PIVOPACK will be introduced in the Russian market to make our Klinskoye® brand available nationwide in PET bottles of different sizes, in order to fulfil the needs of our consumers." said André Weckx, Chief Executive Officer of SUN Interbrew. "The Russian State Institute of Beer Industry, the leading Russian organisation that controls the beer quality standards, fully endorses this new type of package. The Institute's specialists confirm, by comparative tastings, that beer in PIVOPACK is of the same quality as beer in a glass bottle and superior to beer in regular PET."

The development of this innovative PET technology is the result of an intensive cooperation between M&G (Gruppo Mossi & Ghisolfi), a leading PET polymer and preform manufacturer, and Interbrew.

Marco Ghisolfi, CEO and shareholder in M&G says, "This is a major breakthrough in technology for the PET industry which enables our customers quick and easy access to market without major capital expenditure. M&G's new family of barrier resins for monolayer containers will, I believe, accelerate significantly the penetration of PET as the preferred packaging material for oxygen sensitive beverages."

10 February, 2003