Speyside Equity Completes Acquisition

February 22, 2005

Speyside Equity has completed the acquisition of the Fruit Systems business
unit from Degussa AG. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

The new business will operate under the name of Sweet Ovations LLC
(http://www.sweetovations.com) and will continue to be headquartered in Philadelphia.
It is expected to retain existing management and to continue to focus on the US
market.

With US-sites in Philadelphia (PA) and Gardena (CA) and roughly 200
employees, Sweet Ovations LLC is one of the largest providers of fruit and
non-fruit sweet preparations to the food industry, e.g. for yogurts, ice
cream and bakery products as well as caramel, syrups and smoothie bases for
the food service industry.