Kanakaris To Launch WineCentral.Net As Part Of Internet LifeStyle Network eCommerce, Cites $17 Billion
Record Wine Sales
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Jun 14, 1999 (BUSINESS WIRE via COMTEX) -- KanakarisCommunications Inc. (OTC BB: KANA), an emerging-growth
Internet company, Monday announced that it will join the eCommerce market for wine by year end as part of its upcoming Internet LifeStyle
Network
WineShopper.com, the online wine emporium, has received VC commitments of over $35 million in the past quarter, according to VentureOne,
indicating the keen awareness of the financial community to the potential revenue of wine sales over the Internet. United States wine sales totaled
$17 billion according to published statistics of the Wine Institute, up almost 50 percent in the past five years. Gomberg, Fredrikson & Associates
reported that California winery revenues have reached all-time record levels.
"The Internet is the perfect shopping and learning forum for wine in the new millennium. Kanakaris, as part of its eCommerce Internet LifeStyle
Network, will aggressively enter the eCommerce wine business by year end, with a concentration on building its Internet related sales revenue,"
stated a company spokesperson.
"Richard Kanakaris, with 20 years of wine related sales and business management, public relations, publishing, packaging, production/bottling and
brand management experience, has been named editor-in-chief and product procurement manager for WineCentral.Net."
Kanakaris will be unique among all wine eCommerce Web sites because of strong editorial content, including online audio/video wine maker
interviews using GEO Technology, and special sales selections. Offerings will include the company's own branded sparkling wine, BlondeBrut, and
a monthly subscription program to receive selections of WineCentral.Net in various price categories.
Richard Kanakaris has spent his entire professional career in the wine business, and has a personal working relationship with winemakers in Napa,
Sonoma and Monterey Counties as well as other regions. He is the president of award-winning Pavona Wines and founded the first public relations
and marketing firm, Aviara Public Relations, specializing in the food and wine industries owned and operated by a winery principal. He was
previously the general manager of the Monterey Peninsula Winery, manager operations/assistant of the historic Buena Vista Winery and retail
sales manager of Chateau Souverain, a part of Wine World-Nestle.
As editor/publisher of GRAPPA, the California Wine Magazine, Kanakaris interviewed such leading winemakers and wine authorities as Louis P.
Martini (Louis Martini Winery), Myron Nightingale (Berringer Vineyards), Brother Timothy (Christian Bros. Winery), Leon Adams (author of the book
Wines of America), and Louis Gomberg (wine statistician). He was a guest at the unveiling to the first Opus One introduction of Robert Mondavi and
the Rothchilds. Kanakaris is chairman, publicity committee, of Monterey County Vintners & Growers.
"Continuing consumer preference for upscale wines has expanded the sales of premium offerings in the 1990s. Of the 1997 California wine
shipments, all premium wines $3 and over grew 5 percent over the previous year to 69.8 million cases, accounting for half the volume but 79 percent
of winery revenues," according to the Wine Institute.
In addition to WineCentral.Net, the company has also reserved the name WineandVine.com. Kanakaris will be rolling out eCommerce sites devoted
to online delivery of music and movies, with special technology, prior to year end. These sites will join the company's acclaimed NetBooks.Com
which offers online delivery of books with proprietary secure technology.
Chief Executive Officer Alex Kanakaris appeared on World Business Review on Sunday (June 13) outlining the company's Internet business plan.
Vinton Cerf, founder of the Internet, stated on the nationally televised program, "I really resonate with Alex (Kanakaris) in his vision for how the
Internet will allow new talent to emerge ... Alex will be able to dump his movies over the Internet faster then real-time."
Kanakaris Communications is publicly traded on the OTC Bulletin Board and in Germany. For further information on Kanakaris Communications
(www.kanakaris.com), contact Colby Marceau, director of Public/Investor Relations, at 714/444-0560; fax: 714/549-8970; e-mail:
info@kanakaris.com; 3303 Harbor Blvd., No. F-3, Costa Mesa, Calif. 92626.
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "Act"). In
particular when used in the preceding discussion, the words "plan," "confident that," "believe," "expect," "intend to" and similar conditional
expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Act and are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual
results could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to,
market conditions, competitive factors, the ability to successfully complete additional financings, and other risks. |
