Strategic Business Alliance Agreement Concluded with deSter Hong Kong

deSter Hong Kong Limited (Location: Kowloon, Hong Kong; President & Managing Director: Stef Van de Perre; hereinafter "deSter") and JALUX Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Toshiaki Kasai; hereinafter "JALUX") have concluded a strategic business alliance agreement aimed at creating and expanding new businesses in the inflight, food service, and hospitality industries.

Through this partnership, JALUX will leverage deSter's robust global network to strongly promote the international expansion of environmentally friendly materials, such as bioplastics, and related products, while accelerating the joint development of new products utilizing deSter's advanced manufacturing infrastructure. As part of this alliance, JALUX has also acquired exclusive distribution rights for deSter products in the Japanese market, aiming to strengthen its domestic sales structure.

Furthermore, by utilizing JALUX's broad customer base and sales network in Japan—which spans the aviation, airport, and food service industries—deSter will promote business expansion in the Japanese market and enhance its brand recognition and market penetration through the deployment of products that combine high design quality with superior functionality.

By combining the strengths of both companies to build a new value chain that integrates "materials, products, and sales channels," the partnership aims to contribute to solving environmental issues in a wide range of fields, including the aviation industry, and to achieve sustainable business growth in both the Japanese and global markets.

About deSter Hong Kong Limited: As a member of gategroup, the company is a leading provider of innovative and sustainable food packaging and serviceware for the aviation, hospitality, and food service industries. It combines 75 years of manufacturing expertise with state-of-the-art production technology and new material development capabilities. With its own factories in Belgium, Spain, the United States, and Thailand, and sales offices located around the world, the company maintains a comprehensive global structure.

In particular, its specialized design team, "deStudio," is highly regarded for its customization capabilities, excelling in creating products that maximize a client's brand power. Furthermore, the company is actively promoting sustainable product development with an eye toward the next generation, including the elimination of plastics, the use of reusable items, and the application of biodegradable materials. Its high level of environmental awareness and technical prowess are highly acclaimed both within and outside the industry. Website: https://www.dester.com/

About JALUX Inc.: As a trading company of the JAL Group with strengths in the aviation and airport sectors, JALUX develops high-value-added products and services for all aspects of life, including the operation of "JAL PLAZA" airport shops, e-commerce sites, and the provision of environment-related equipment and materials. In particular, regarding its inflight product procurement business, the company has a long track record of developing numerous high-quality and unique products. In recent years, it has been actively engaged in product development utilizing environmentally friendly materials, such as Kaneka's biodegradable biopolymer "Green Planet®." Website: https://www.jalux.com/

Under its corporate philosophy of "Partner for Creating Happiness—Bringing more richness and brilliance to people, society, and the environment," JALUX will continue to contribute to the development of the aviation and airport industries through the expertise and know-how it has cultivated.