Koala Blue

Earlier in 2009, The Saint James Company completed its first brand acquisition, securing the North American rights for Koala Blue, an Australian celebrity label founded by Olivia Newton-John and Pat Farrar. The Saint James Company is the exclusive producer and importer for the United States and Canada for the Koala Blue portfolio of classic and premium wines. Koala Blue captures the essence of Australia viticulture, featuring high quality grapes, unique packaging and food friendly wines at everyday affordable prices.

For more information on Koala Blue Wines, visit www.koalabluewines.com.au.

Neqtar Wines

Also in Australia, in late 2008, The Saint James Company signed a Letter of Intent to acquire Neqtar Australia Pty Ltd.

Neqtar consists of a former Evans & Tate facility, as well as Roberts Wine Estates, a historic winery with a heritage that dates back to 1881. From humble and early beginnings, the company has evolved into a modern winery, with a crush capacity of forty thousand tons and 42 million liters of storage capacity. Currently, Neqtar bottles under the Roberts Estate, Commissioners Block, Calder Grove, Midday Track, Wanted and Pump Hill brands.

The company’s strategic location in the heart of the Murray Darling region provides ready access to over 5,000 hectares of local vineyards, from which the Company can purchase the highest quality grapes at the best commercially negotiated rates. Following substantial capital investment, engineering work, and the application of updated technology, the Company now ranks among the ten largest in the continent of Australia.

The award winning wines produced here, overseen by winemaker John Pezzaniti, are now exported throughout the United Kingdom, Western Europe, Asia, and Canada; however, the Company’s brands are not currently distributed in the United States. The US domestic wine market continues to grow rapidly, with Australian imports representing approximately twenty five percent of US imported wine consumption, presenting an obvious opportunity to generate significant organic growth by more fully utilizing the current facilities to supply branded products to US markets.

For more information on Neqtar Australia, visit www.neqtarbeverages.com

Other acquisitions

As the Australian wine industry restructures to better balance supply and demand, Saint James continues to review other opportunities to acquire brands and assets in this important market.