Agthia Launches Middle East Region's First Plant-based Water Bottle and Signs Sustainability MoU With Veolia at Gulfood 2020

• Al Ain Plant Bottle set to be region's first plant-based water bottle
• MoU with Veolia makes Agthia the exclusive FMCG to pilot a recycling program of this caliber in the region

ABU DHABI, U.A.E, Feb. 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Agthia Group PJSC, one of the region's leading food and beverages companies,  announced the launch of Al Ain Plant Bottle, the region's first plant-based water bottle, at a press conference on the sidelines of Gulfood 2020 during UAE Innovation Month, in the presence of H.E. Dr. Thani Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment. An MoU was also signed between Agthia and Veolia, a global leader in optimized resource management, to launch a PET water bottles collection initiative in the UAE.

The packaging of the new Al Ain Plant Bottle is environmentally friendly and made of 100% plant-based sources, including the cap. Furthermore, the water bottle serves growing consumer move toward sustainability as it is biodegradable and compostable, within 80 days. The revolutionary innovation is set to improve the environmental footprint from a CO2 perspective. It uses plant sources and converts them into a durable 100% plant-based resin, which is then used to create the Al Ain Plant Bottle.

In addition to taking the lead to launch the region's first plant-based water bottle, Agthia is partnering with Veolia to launch several sustainability initiatives, which will establish a circular ecosystem to pave the way towards more PET recycling in the region. This initiative underscores Agthia and Veolia's shared commitment to drive sustainability efforts by working together with the community. We aim to make the recycling easier and accessible by proposing different collection schemes.

H.E. Dr. Thani Al Zeyoudi said: "We are proud of the role Emirati private businesses play in supporting our nationwide drive towards sustainability. We hope to see more businesses across all sectors with the same level of awareness and commitment to reducing their footprint to ensure that the UAE remains sustainable well into the future."

He added: "Innovation is at the heart of the country's transition to circular economy. The launch of Al Ain's plant-based water bottle and Agthia's other sustainability initiatives during the UAE Innovation Month is a prime example of how innovation can go a long way in driving environmental sustainability. I applaud Agthia for its strong commitment to integrating sustainability as a core value across its operations."

Tariq Ahmed Al Wahedi, Agthia Group CEO, said, "Agthia remains committed to innovation and sustainability through its pioneering packaging innovations and trusted partnerships. Partnering with Veolia, and the launch of Al Ain Plant Bottle, is a testament to our commitment to sustainability and our future endeavors to improve Agthia's environmental footprint and support our drive to align with the national sustainability agenda 2021." 

Erich Konig, CEO of Veolia Environmental Services Emirates said, "Veolia is really proud and excited about the partnership with Agthia, aiming to structure the local PET ecosystem by developing innovative and digital collection solutions to address the challenges of post-consumed plastic bottles and encouraging the creation of a more sustainable and circular economy for plastic."

The PET collection initiative between Agthia and Veolia is set to commence in March and is the first step towards establishing an efficient PET recycling ecosystem, beginning in Abu Dhabi with the aim to implement the program on a national scale. The entities will work together with customers, partners and channels to enhance the collection of PET bottles. Furthermore, there are plans in place to test the option to collect bottled water from homes powered by a Veolia user-friendly application to facilitate a smooth collection process from consumers across the UAE.

The science behind Al Ain Plant Bottle is based on converting plants to special polymer material obtained from the fermentation of sugars contained in plants and used to create this material, without using a single drop of petroleum or its by-products. The plant-based bottle is being developed at Agthia's new Packaging Technology Center in Al Ain, under the strictest quality standards and under manufacturing conditions that consumes 60% less energy during entire process and has best-in-class CO2 environmental footprint, with more than 50% savings on non-renewable energy.

The launch of these two innovative initiatives during the UAE's Innovation Month is part of Agthia's commitment to innovation and sustainability, which includes practices and application of environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) standards across the company's business operations and measuring the impact on the environment. The result is a revolutionary packaging and initiatives that underscores the Group's efforts in supporting the national sustainability agenda as well as latest achievements as part of its long-term sustainability goals.

About Agthia Group PJSC

Agthia Group is a leading Abu Dhabi based food and beverage company. Established in 2004, the Company is listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) and has the symbol "AGTHIA". 51 percent of the Company's shares are held by Senaat (General Holding Corporation), an Abu Dhabi Government entity, with the balance held by retail and institutional investors. The Company's assets are located in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Egypt and Turkey. Agthia offers a world class portfolio of integrated businesses providing high quality and trusted food and beverage products for customers and consumers across the UAE, GCC, Turkey and the wider Middle East. www.agthia.com 

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1096382/Al_Ain_Green_Bottle.jpg