Global Beverage Group and Informed Beverage Management Sign Merger Agreement

WATERLOO, ON.—October 12, 2002—Global Beverage Group (GBG) announces today a merger with Informed Beverage Management, Inc. (IBMI) of Charlotte, North Carolina. IBMI is a leading provider of direct store delivery software applications specializing in the distribution of beer and soft drinks.

"GBG has the same corporate vision as IBMI." says Paul McGarry President of IBMI. "We have always been a customer-focused organization and the merger with GBG re-affirms that commitment to our customers. As a part of the GBG family, we will leverage the strengths inherent in a larger enterprise. We will continue to support and enhance current products while investing in new technology. We will have improved support services and a wider portfolio of solutions to improve the business operations of our clients. The GBG "merge and operate" philosophy allows rapid assimilation of new companies and immediate synergistic benefits, both to our customers and to the GBG family of companies."

IBMI's solutions include route accounting, mobile, vending, sales and management reporting applications, with customers in the USA, Caribbean and South America. Their partners include Palm, Intermec, Symbol, IBM and Microsoft.

"Our merger with IBMI moves GBG solidly into the beer and wine segment of the beverage marketplace. It signals GBG's commitment to maintain the position of market leader in the beverage industry through market consolidation and strategic business partnerships. Additionally IBMI adds 14 years of beverage industry and software experience and increases GBG's world-wide customer base by 20%." says Ted Hastings, CEO of GBG.

Global Beverage Group continues to build its market dominance by continually adding industry expertise and capacity to its professional services organization in the areas of route accounting, warehouse and logistics optimization solutions, field asset maintenance management, full line vending, field service, mobile computing products and business intelligence capabilities.

GBG offers a full line of products that support supply chain execution processes in the beverage industry. No other solution provider in the beverage market offers the breadth and depth of solutions as GBG.

GBG is headquartered in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada and will continue operations in IBMI's office in Charlotte, North Carolina.