UNG.L Regulatory News (UNG)

Immediate release: 25 May 2011

("Universe", "the Company" or "the Group")

Appointment of new Chief Executive and Non-Executive Director

Change of date of annual general meeting

Universe Group plc (UNG.L), the AIM listed retail and loyalty systems provider, today announces the appointment of Mr Stephen McLeod as Chief Executive with immediate effect. The Company also announces the appointment of Mr Robert Goddard as a Non-Executive Director of the Company with immediate effect.

John Scholes, Chairman, said, "We are pleased to have recruited Steve McLeod as chief executive. Steve has considerable international experience in sectors which are important to our business.

We are also taking this opportunity to strengthen the Board by appointing Robert. He brings extensive commercial and City experience, which will assist in improving the Company's performance."

The Company also announces that the date of the Annual General Meeting ('AGM') will be 28th June 2011 and that the Annual Report and AGM notices will be despatched shortly and will be available to view at www.universeplc.com.

Matters concerning these new directors which are required to be reported pursuant to Schedule Two (g) of the AIM Rules for Companies are set out below:

Stephen McLeod, a graduate of the Royal Military College of Australia and an engineer by training, spent ten years as a corporate strategy consultant before holding senior posts with multi-national corporations with coatings and speciality chemicals interests. He was, until recently, Senior Vice-President Corporate Strategy & Business Development of BCD Travel, one of the world's largest travel management companies with revenues of US$15bn, and has recently completed an assignment launching a market-leading global parking business in North America and Australia.

Stephen Douglas McLeod, aged 59, is, or has been within the last five years, a director or partner of the following companies or partnerships:

Mr McLeod has not been active in RedStart Partners since 2007, although he remains a partner of that firm.

Robert Goddard, a chartered engineer, was on the executive board of Burmah Castrol plc and previously managed its worldwide fuels business and a substantial portion of its chemicals business. He subsequently joined Amberley Group PLC in November 2000 where he was Chief Executive, responsible for turning round and selling on its four speciality chemical subsidiaries, thereby enhancing the share price substantially before leaving in 2003. More recently he has had a variety of advisory and turn around assignments. He is currently non-executive chairman of AIM quoted Hardide plc.

Robert John Goddard, aged 60, is, or has been within the last five years, a director or a partner of the following companies or partnerships:

In September 2002 Robert Goddard was appointed a director of Fruehauf Holdings Limited ("Fruehauf") and certain of its subsidiaries, including Dereham Rash's Green Limited. He was appointed a director of Dereham South Green Limited, another subsidiary of Fruehauf. Fruehauf group was heavily indebted and Mr Goddard and others were appointed with the agreement of its bankers to seek to turn around the situation. In April 2004 Mr Goddard resigned from the board of Fruehauf and its subsidiaries. Following a proposed change in legislation Fruehauf's substantial pension fund deficit would have represented a significant burden and in February 2005 Dereham Rash's Green Limited and Dereham South Green Limited entered administration. Fruehauf was placed into Creditor's Voluntary Liquidation on 23 March 2006. There was a shortfall to creditors (including the bank) of £4.1m. On 6 February 2007 Dereham South Green Limited was placed into Creditor's Voluntary Liquidation. There was a shortfall to creditors (including the bank) of £9.6m. On 2 March 2007 Dereham Rash's Green Limited was placed into Creditor's Voluntary Liquidation. There was a shortfall to creditors (including the bank) of £24.3m.

There are no other matters required to be reported pursuant to Schedule Two (g) of the AIM Rules for Companies.