9 Apr 2020 16:52
Notice of Adjourned AGM and Annual Report
PureCircle (LSE: PURE), the world's leading producer and innovator of great-tasting stevia sweeteners for the global food and beverage industry, announces that the adjourned Annual General Meeting of the Company will be held at PureCircle, 12th Floor, West Wing, Rohas PureCircle, No. 9, Jalan P. Ramlee, 50250 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 7 May 2020 at 4.00 p.m. (UTC+8).
The following documents have been posted to shareholders today:-
- 2019 Annual Report and Accounts
- Notice of Adjourned 2019 Annual General Meeting
- Form of Proxy
In compliance with Listing Rules 9.6.1, a copy of each of the above documents has been submitted to the National Storage Mechanism, which will shortly be available for inspection at www.morningstar.co.uk/uk/nsm. The 2019 Annual Report and Accounts and Notice of Adjourned 2019 Annual General Meeting are also available on the Company's website, www.purecircle.com/investors
Arrangements
On 17 March 2020, the government of Malaysia announced a countrywide movement control order including social distancing measures to reduce the transmission of COVID-19. These measures include requiring people to stay at home, except for very limited purposes; and stopping all gatherings of more than two people in public.
We fully support these measures to protect public health and safety.
As such, we will now hold the AGM via a special arrangement.
Voting by proxy and not in person
The Adjourned 2019 Annual General Meeting ("Adjourned 2019 AGM") will be conducted with minimum quorum of shareholders present in order to conduct the normal business of the meeting. The results of the proxy votes on the proposed resolutions will be announced, in the normal way, as soon as practicable after the conclusion of Adjourned AGM.
To safeguard the health and safety of Shareholders during the global COVID-19 pandemic, PureCircle encourages Shareholders to exercise their right to vote at the Adjourned 2019 AGM by appointing the Chairman as their proxy instead of attending the Adjourned 2019 AGM in person.
The dial-in and login details in order to attend the Adjourned 2019 AGM via electronic means are being sent directly to registered shareholders along with the Adjourned 2019 AGM materials.
Shareholders are reminded that participation via electronic means does not constitute formal attendance at the Adjourned 2019 AGM nor would Shareholders be able to vote electronically.
Shareholders would need to submit their form of proxy ahead of the Adjourned 2019 AGM in accordance with the instructions printed thereon if they wish to cast their votes.
The situation in relation to COVID-19 continues to develop and we are closely monitoring developments, including any regulatory changes. If it becomes necessary or appropriate to revise the arrangements for the Adjourned 2019 AGM, further announcements will be made and information will be made available on our website at: https://purecircle.com/investors/
9 April 2020
Enquiries:
Jimmy Lim, CFO
Email: Jimmy.Lim@purecircle.com
Phone: +6 012 326 2908
Newgate Communications, Media Relations
Elisabeth Cowell
Giles Croot
Email: purecircle@newgatecomms.com
Phone: +44 (0) 20 3757 6880
Notes to Editors
About PureCircle
· PureCircle is the only company that combines advanced R&D with full vertical integration from farm to high-quality, great-tasting innovative stevia sweeteners.
· The Company collaborates with farmers who grow the stevia plants and with food and beverage companies which seek to improve their low- and no-calorie formulations using a sweetener from plants.
· PureCircle will continue to: lead in research, development and innovation; produce a growing supply of multiple varieties of stevia sweeteners with sugar-like taste, using all necessary and appropriate methods of production; and be a resource and innovation partner for food and beverage companies.
· PureCircle stevia flavor modifiers work in synergy with sweeteners to improve the taste, mouthfeel and calorie profile, and enhance the cost effectiveness, of beverage and food products.
· Founded in 2002, PureCircle is continually investing in breakthrough research and development and it has been granted over 214 stevia-related patents with more than 300 applied for patents pending.
· PureCircle has offices around the world with the global headquarters in Chicago, Illinois.
· To meet growing demand for stevia sweeteners, PureCircle is rapidly ramping up its supply capability. It completed expansion of its Malaysian stevia extract facility in March 2017, increasing its capacity to rapidly supply the newer and great-tasting specialty stevia sweeteners and helping provide ever-increasing value to its customers.
· PureCircle's shares are listed on the main market of the London Stock Exchange.
· For more information, visit: www.purecircle.com
About stevia
· Given the growing global concerns about obesity and diabetes, beverage and food companies are working responsibly to reduce sugar and calories in their products, responding to both consumers and health and wellness advocates. Sweeteners from the stevia plant offer sugar-like taste and are becoming an increasingly important tool for these companies.
· Like sugar, stevia sweeteners are from plants. But unlike sugar, they enable low-calorie and zero-calorie formulations of beverages and foods.
· Stevia leaf extract is a natural-based, zero calorie, high-intensity sweetener, used by global food and beverage companies as a great-tasting zero-calorie alternative to sugar and artificial sweeteners.
· Stevia is a naturally sweet plant native to South America; today, it is grown around the world, notably in Kenya, China and the US.
· The sweet-tasting parts of the stevia leaf are up to 350 times sweeter than sugar: stevia's high-intensity sweetness means it requires far less water and land than sugar.
· Research has shown that the molecules of the stevia leaf are present and unchanged in the dried stevia leaf, through the commercial extraction and purification process, and in the final stevia leaf extract product. All major global regulatory organisations, across 65 countries, have approved the use of high-purity stevia leaf extracts in food and beverages.
· For more information on the science of stevia, please visit https://www.purecirclesteviainstitute.com/