BevAccess and eSkye Solutions to Merge, Creating a National Technology And Communications Network Serving the Beverage Industry

    INDIANAPOLIS, and NEW YORK, April 23 /PRNewswire/ -- eSkye Solutions, Inc.
 and BevAccess, the two leading communications and technology solutions
 companies serving the beverage industry, today announced their intent to
 merge, creating a single national platform to address the technology and
 communication needs of the industry. The new company is providing a network of
 products and online services benefiting all tiers of the beverage industry --
 retailers, distributors, suppliers and control states.
     The combined, well-capitalized company creates a national private trading
 exchange through which beverage alcohol retailers, distributors, suppliers and
 control states can conduct business more efficiently than ever before
 possible. The company has agreements with distributors in over 40 states to
 enable their customers to electronically access their products and services.
 The network is active in major markets, including Illinois, New Jersey, New
 York, Massachusetts, Michigan and Texas with pilot programs in Georgia and New
 Hampshire, and reaches a national audience through its publishing business.
 The merger enables the companies to more quickly roll out a standard
 technology platform across the country.
     "BevAccess has done an impressive job of integrating their online
 technology and national publishing services in key markets to the benefit of
 retailers, wholesalers, suppliers and control states," said J. Smoke Wallin,
 founder and CEO of eSkye Solutions. "It is clear that while the industry is
 eager to adopt the benefits of an online network, there is an overwhelming
 demand for a unified effort with common standards. By working together, we can
 focus on doing just that."
     The merger will also include BevAccess' profitable publishing division,
 Beverage Media Group. For over 65 years, Beverage Media Group has published
 the United States' premier beverage alcohol trade magazines and serves as the
 national office for The Beverage Network, delivering timely information to
 over 140,000 beverage alcohol licensees in 48 markets each month. The combined
 company is unique in its ability to deliver integrated marketing (IM)
 solutions utilizing its on-line and off-line channels for the entire industry.
     Mark Sanders, CEO of BevAccess said: "This strategic merger combines the
 strengths of our respective operations, enabling us to pursue our common goal
 of expanding technology and customer services through a fully-integrated print
 and online network. The ability to create a single national network serving
 this entire industry is a powerful proposition. We have both made significant
 progress working toward this goal on our own, but it is now very clear that
 the best way to accomplish this is to bring our companies together."
     "eSkye Solutions' technology is enabling our restaurant managers in
 Massachusetts to place a single order request via the Internet, freeing them
 from the time-consuming process of ordering beverage from multiple
 distributors," said Chris Gorman, Director of Store Systems for Uno Restaurant
 Corporation. "Our managers are now spending that valuable time ensuring a
 great dining experience for our customers. The combination with BevAccess is
 great news for us, as it will accelerate the new order process in more Uno's
 Chicago Bar & Grill locations across the U.S."
     Barkley Stuart, Executive Vice President for Glazer's Wholesale
 Distributing Co. said: "BevAccess has helped to demonstrate how technology
 solutions can enhance our customer service. There are many benefits that e-
 commerce can bring to our daily operations, and to our industry as a whole.
 Our industry will benefit greatly from the single online solution created
 through the merger with eSkye Solutions. We anticipate increased efficiencies
 and cost reductions associated with electronic order processing, and are
 committed to working with BevAccess and eSkye Solutions to support a seamless
 integration of their technology and data solutions, and to bring even more of
 our restaurant and retail customers online."
     Consummation of the proposed strategic merger is subject to, among other
 matters, completion of business, legal and accounting due diligence, execution
 of definitive agreements, formal board and shareholder approval of both eSkye
 Solutions and BevAccess, and the approval of any regulatory authorities.
 
     About eSkye Solutions
     eSkye Solutions, Inc. is a collaborative commerce solutions provider
 serving the global beverage industry. Through its two operating divisions,
 eSkye Solutions has developed an industry leading Private Trading Exchange
 (PTX) that brings the benefits of online beverage management to participants,
 as well as a suite of channel management (CM) products tailored specifically
 to the industry. Based on its patent pending eBOTS technology, eSkye
 Solutions' products allow suppliers, distributors, wholesalers, state
 authorities, and retailers to select from different products depending on
 their requirements. Incorporating deep industry operating and technical
 experience, eSkye Solutions' products are tailored to the specifics of the
 industry, including applications for direct store delivery (DSD) systems and
 retailer warehousing operations.
 
     About BevAccess
     BevAccess (http://www.BevAccess.com) is the first, fully consolidated
 communications, e-commerce and technology services company specializing in the
 beverage alcohol market. Together with Beverage Media Group, the company's
 offline division, BevAccess publishes the United States' premier beverage
 alcohol trade magazines and serves as the national office for The Beverage
 Network, delivering timely information to over 140,000 beverage alcohol
 licensees in 48 markets each month. Through the company's online division,
 BevAccess provides sales force automation and a more efficient and cost
 effective supply chain management process for trade buyers and sellers of
 wine, spirits and beer. BevAccess supports the industry's leading wholesalers,
 suppliers and retail buyers by empowering them with proven e-commerce
 technology that increases operational efficiency through a rich, visual
 interface for personalized ordering, detailed product information, and highly
 targeted marketing.
 
      Contacts:
      Lisa Wolford                            Kathleen Gaffney
      Robinson Lerer & Montgomery             Robinson Lerer & Montgomery
      212-484-7058                            212-484-7468
      lwolford@rlmnet.com                     kgaffney@rlmnet.com
 
 

SOURCE  eSkye Solutions, Inc. and BevAccess

    INDIANAPOLIS, and NEW YORK, April 23 /PRNewswire/ -- eSkye Solutions, Inc.
 and BevAccess, the two leading communications and technology solutions
 companies serving the beverage industry, today announced their intent to
 merge, creating a single national platform to address the technology and
 communication needs of the industry. The new company is providing a network of
 products and online services benefiting all tiers of the beverage industry --
 retailers, distributors, suppliers and control states.
     The combined, well-capitalized company creates a national private trading
 exchange through which beverage alcohol retailers, distributors, suppliers and
 control states can conduct business more efficiently than ever before
 possible. The company has agreements with distributors in over 40 states to
 enable their customers to electronically access their products and services.
 The network is active in major markets, including Illinois, New Jersey, New
 York, Massachusetts, Michigan and Texas with pilot programs in Georgia and New
 Hampshire, and reaches a national audience through its publishing business.
 The merger enables the companies to more quickly roll out a standard
 technology platform across the country.
     "BevAccess has done an impressive job of integrating their online
 technology and national publishing services in key markets to the benefit of
 retailers, wholesalers, suppliers and control states," said J. Smoke Wallin,
 founder and CEO of eSkye Solutions. "It is clear that while the industry is
 eager to adopt the benefits of an online network, there is an overwhelming
 demand for a unified effort with common standards. By working together, we can
 focus on doing just that."
     The merger will also include BevAccess' profitable publishing division,
 Beverage Media Group. For over 65 years, Beverage Media Group has published
 the United States' premier beverage alcohol trade magazines and serves as the
 national office for The Beverage Network, delivering timely information to
 over 140,000 beverage alcohol licensees in 48 markets each month. The combined
 company is unique in its ability to deliver integrated marketing (IM)
 solutions utilizing its on-line and off-line channels for the entire industry.
     Mark Sanders, CEO of BevAccess said: "This strategic merger combines the
 strengths of our respective operations, enabling us to pursue our common goal
 of expanding technology and customer services through a fully-integrated print
 and online network. The ability to create a single national network serving
 this entire industry is a powerful proposition. We have both made significant
 progress working toward this goal on our own, but it is now very clear that
 the best way to accomplish this is to bring our companies together."
     "eSkye Solutions' technology is enabling our restaurant managers in
 Massachusetts to place a single order request via the Internet, freeing them
 from the time-consuming process of ordering beverage from multiple
 distributors," said Chris Gorman, Director of Store Systems for Uno Restaurant
 Corporation. "Our managers are now spending that valuable time ensuring a
 great dining experience for our customers. The combination with BevAccess is
 great news for us, as it will accelerate the new order process in more Uno's
 Chicago Bar & Grill locations across the U.S."
     Barkley Stuart, Executive Vice President for Glazer's Wholesale
 Distributing Co. said: "BevAccess has helped to demonstrate how technology
 solutions can enhance our customer service. There are many benefits that e-
 commerce can bring to our daily operations, and to our industry as a whole.
 Our industry will benefit greatly from the single online solution created
 through the merger with eSkye Solutions. We anticipate increased efficiencies
 and cost reductions associated with electronic order processing, and are
 committed to working with BevAccess and eSkye Solutions to support a seamless
 integration of their technology and data solutions, and to bring even more of
 our restaurant and retail customers online."
     Consummation of the proposed strategic merger is subject to, among other
 matters, completion of business, legal and accounting due diligence, execution
 of definitive agreements, formal board and shareholder approval of both eSkye
 Solutions and BevAccess, and the approval of any regulatory authorities.
 
     About eSkye Solutions
     eSkye Solutions, Inc. is a collaborative commerce solutions provider
 serving the global beverage industry. Through its two operating divisions,
 eSkye Solutions has developed an industry leading Private Trading Exchange
 (PTX) that brings the benefits of online beverage management to participants,
 as well as a suite of channel management (CM) products tailored specifically
 to the industry. Based on its patent pending eBOTS technology, eSkye
 Solutions' products allow suppliers, distributors, wholesalers, state
 authorities, and retailers to select from different products depending on
 their requirements. Incorporating deep industry operating and technical
 experience, eSkye Solutions' products are tailored to the specifics of the
 industry, including applications for direct store delivery (DSD) systems and
 retailer warehousing operations.
 
     About BevAccess
     BevAccess (http://www.BevAccess.com) is the first, fully consolidated
 communications, e-commerce and technology services company specializing in the
 beverage alcohol market. Together with Beverage Media Group, the company's
 offline division, BevAccess publishes the United States' premier beverage
 alcohol trade magazines and serves as the national office for The Beverage
 Network, delivering timely information to over 140,000 beverage alcohol
 licensees in 48 markets each month. Through the company's online division,
 BevAccess provides sales force automation and a more efficient and cost
 effective supply chain management process for trade buyers and sellers of
 wine, spirits and beer. BevAccess supports the industry's leading wholesalers,
 suppliers and retail buyers by empowering them with proven e-commerce
 technology that increases operational efficiency through a rich, visual
 interface for personalized ordering, detailed product information, and highly
 targeted marketing.
 
      Contacts:
      Lisa Wolford                            Kathleen Gaffney
      Robinson Lerer & Montgomery             Robinson Lerer & Montgomery
      212-484-7058                            212-484-7468
      lwolford@rlmnet.com                     kgaffney@rlmnet.com
 
 SOURCE  eSkye Solutions, Inc. and BevAccess