Maui’s Noni Biotech Recognized as Top Exporter by Mayor

May 9th, 2012

By Sonia Isotov

Left to right: Noni Biotech’s Presidents David Backstrom and Marie-Laure Ankaoua, Mayor Alan Arakawa, and Noni Biotech’s Director of Research Paul Nordone. Photo courtesy of Noni Biotech.

On May 4, Maui Mayor Alan M. Arakawa toured the headquarters of Noni Biotech International LLC and invited the company to join a County of Maui business trip in August to Japan and Korea.

The mayor was joined on the tour by Maui County Office of Economic Development Coordinator Teena Rasmussen, Maui County Environmental Coordinator Robert Parsons, Maui Economic Development Board Program Director Tom Liu, and Mimi Hu CPA, principal partner of Levin & Hu LLP.

Mayor Arakawa’s visit began with a tour of the company research lab, led by Noni Biotech’s Director of Research Paul Nordone, who explained some of the company’s research strategies and offered samplings of the company’s newest products in development.

Mayor Arakawa touring the Noni Biotech International laboratory. Courtesy of Noni Biotech.

Noni Biotech International currently exports 100% pure Hawaiian noni products and ingredients to over 50 countries under the brand names Noni Maui and Maui Noni.

Their achievements have not gone without recognition. In 2011 the company received the prestigious Presidential “E” Export Award for excellence in exporting. In addition, Noni Biotech was selected as a finalist in the APEC Statewide Business Innovation Showcase in September 2011. Mayor Arakawa presented the award during the ceremony hosted at the Sister Cities summit in Waikiki.

After the morning tour, visitors gathered in the company conference room for a light breakfast and a presentation from Noni Biotech’s Presidents Marie-Laure Ankaoua and David Backstrom.

Ankaoua and Backstrom shared more information about the company’s background and their plans for future development in Maui as well as in their farm and factory, both of which are located on the island of Hawaii.

“We feel very honored that Mayor Arakawa took the time to come and visit us. It shows how much he is paying attention to the growth of small businesses in his county,” said Ankaoua, in a written statement.

Company Contact:

Marie Laure Ankaoua
Chief Executive Officer

Phone: 1 808 575 9100
www.nonimaui.com

January 11th, 2012
By Madeline Ziecker
Former Hawaii governor Linda Lingle (R) began the first official day of her campaign for a seat in the US Senate by visiting some local businesses in the Haiku Cannery on January 10, 2012.

Linda Lingle speaking about her Senate campaign at Noni Biotech International headquarter and R&D lab in Haiku. Photo by Madeline Ziecker.

Lingle’s visit to Haiku was casual and unannounced, but to each of the shops she visited she brought an entourage of campaign supporters and her own camera crew.

An intimate reception was held around 5 p.m. at Noni Biotech International, a noni products export company in Haiku which recently won a Presidential Certificate for Exports from the Secretary of Commerce, for functioning as one of the 20 most successful export businesses in the US.

Linda Lingle & Marie-Laure Ankaoua- CEO of Noni Biotech International at the company headquarters.

Linda Lingle conversing with Haiku Style shop owner Claire Garrigue.

Around 40 guests attended the reception to hear Lingle speak about her plans for her campaign and the issues she would focus on  if she won. Keoni Woo of the Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce was present along with some prominent Maui business owners in coconut trade, noni production, and solar energy.

From left: Marie-Laure Ankaoua- CEO of Noni Biotech International, Linda Lingle, and Claire Garrigue - owner of Haiku Style. Photo by Madeline Ziecker.

In her speech at the reception, Lingle highlighted four elements of reform which she promises to execute if she wins a seat in Washington DC: tax reform, regulatory reform (especially in the job market), immigration reform, and lawsuit reform (those who file lawsuits and lose should receive a penalty). Lingle spoke about the issue of US foreign energy and oil dependency. “Hawaii is the most oil dependent state in the US; as a nation we need to develop our own energy resources. We should be a net exporter of energy.”

Linda Lingle campaign poster. Photo by Madeline Ziecker.

She also expressed her enthusiasm in being endorsed by the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers (SHOPO):

“The number one focus of any elected government official is the safety of their community and for this I am glad to have the support of the people who are out there every day ensuring our safety.”

Lingle believes that she can “bring something unique to the Senate from Hawaii – a focused aloha spirit.”

The reception ended around 6 p.m., when Lingle was reminded by members of her campaign team that she had a flight to Hilo to catch.

Noni Biotech International

PRESS RELEASE September 26, 2011

Noni Biotech International has been acknowledged for their export excellence and service to the community.

Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie with NBI Executives (l-r) David Backstrom, Marie Laure Ankaoua and Paul Nordone.

On Tuesday September 13, 2011, NBI was formally announced as one of six Maui County finalists for the APEC Hawaii Business Innovation Showcase Award. The announcement was made at a ceremony hosted by the Sister-Cities Summit at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Waikiki.

The event drew more than 150 delegates from 14 international cities, and 20 Mayors from all over the world.

Included in those numbers were Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie, Maui County Mayor Alan Arakawa, Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu Peter B. Carlisle, County of Hawaii Mayor William P. Kenoi and Kaua’i County Mayor Bernard Carvalho.

Representing Noni Biotech International were Chief Executive Officer David Backstrom, Chief Operating Officer Marie Laure Ankaoua, and Director of Research & Development Paul Nordone.

The Sister-Cities Summit is a collaborative effort of the Mayors of Hawaii and the State of Hawaii. Its purpose is to promote cultural, economic, and business exchanges between all new and existing county Sister-Cities.

About Noni Biotech

Noni Biotech International develops and manufactures high quality products made from Hawaiian Noni. Noni is a fruit which has been used medicinally by many cultures for centuries. In 2011, NBI received the Presidential “E” Export Award, for excellence in exporting.

Hawaii and Sister-Cities Mayors

Noni Biotech International’s mission is to combine traditional Hawaiian healing with state of the art scientific research, to make noni available to the world, and to help showcase Hawaii as a center for innovative agricultural  development and advanced technology.

David Backstrom, Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa, Marie Ankaoua, Paul Nordone

CompanyContact:

Marie-Laure Ankaoua
Chief Operating Officer

Phone:
1 808 575 9100
www.nonimaui.com

Governor Abercrombie, along with Senate President
Tsutsui, Representative Souki, Representative Gil Keith-
Agaran and representative of the 6 Maui finalists.

Noni Biotech International is one if the six Maui companies to have been selected as a finalist
in the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Statewide Business Application Showcase.

The 6 awardees were selected from 35 finalists by a statewide panel of judges made up of
community and business leaders. The contest required the businesses to: have products
attractive to markets outside of Hawaii, including the APEC member economies;
develop unique, leading or cutting-edge innovations in product development,
technology, marketing or delivery; positively impact Hawaii’s business environment; have
growth and investment potential; adopt environmentally sound programs and practices.

Maui Awardees:

HNU-Energy:
Custom-engineered renewable energy technology through research and development, Maui Winner. (Represented by President
Michael Reiley, Ph.D and Monica Kelsey)

Noni Biotech International:
R&D,Farming, Processing, marketing and sales to bring Hawaiian Noni to the world. (Represented by Paul Nordone, Director of R&D and Marie Laure
Ankaoua, Chief Operating Officer)

Westec Environmental Solutions:
Air pollution and greenhouse gas control. (Represented by Jeff Reiss)

Pacific Biodiesel, Inc.:
Aina Mo Project uses biodiesel by-product to preserve taro cultivation.
(Represented by Beth Mathias, Marketing Director)

Functional Nutriments, LLC:
Apocaps cancer therapeutics using plant-based phytochemicals.
(Represented by James Jacobson)

Grower’s Secret, Inc.:
Increasing food safety through organic agricultural supplements.
(Represented by Wesley Chun, PhD, Chief Science Officer)

“It was a wonderful occasion,” said Jeff Reisspresident of Westec Environmental Solutions.
“We all truly appreciate the State and the County for taking the time and going to the
effort to recognize our High-tech businesses in Hawaii. We are all working very hard and
trying to be a credit to our beautiful State and home on Maui. God Bless us all.”

Noni Biotech Background

Noni Biotech International (NBI) develops and markets internationally high quality products
made from Hawaiian Noni, a fruit which has been used by many cultures for medicinal
purposes for centuries. The company has just received The Presidential “E” Export Award,
from the U.S. Department of Commerce, is the highest award for excellence in exporting.
The company mission is to combine traditional Hawaiian healing with state of the art scientific
research to make the noni available to the world and to continue to establish Hawaii as a
center for innovative agricultural crop development and high technology processing
capabilities.

Governor Abercrombie with Noni Biotech International
representatives, Paul Nordone, Director of R&D and
Marie Laure Ankaoua, Chief Operating Officer.

”This is such an exciting time for us at NBI – we have discovered an angiogenesis inhibitor
(a compound that blocks blood vessel growth) in Hawaiian noni! Angiogenesis is implicated in
many diseases such as cancer, macular degeneration, and psoriasis. If we shut off a
tumor’s blood supply, it can’t grow or metastasize. Our ‘SuperNoni’ capsules would
be a great candidate for a medical food clinical study combined with low dose chemotherapy,
to evaluate a potential synergistic effect against tumors! We are also formulating an all
natural topical cream to treat psoriasis and excema. With proper funding, we could have
two products in clinical trials in 2012 to help people suffering from these dreadful diseases.”

We especially want to thank Deidre Tegarden, the Governor’s Maui Representative for a
wonderfully orchestrated luncheon to acknowledge Maui’s High-Tech businesses.

Deidre Tegarden,
Governor’s Representative in Maui

Noni Biotech International Contact:
Marie Laure Ankaoua
Phone: 1 808 575 9100
www.nonimaui.com

Congresswoman Mazie K. Hirono visits Noni Biotech International in regards to APEC

Congresswoman Mazie K. Hinono visited Noni Biotech International in Maui last week Friday
the 26th, after Noni Biotech was selected as a finalist in the APEC Statewide Business
Innovation Showcase for the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
conference to be held in Hawaii this November. The Congresswoman was joined at NBI’s
headquarters with CEO of Noni Biotech, David Backstrom, Marie-Laure Anakaoua, its
VP and Chief Operating officer, Paul Nordone, Director of R&D as well as several other Maui
business owners.

Congresswoman Mazie K. Hirono with Noni Biotech’s Managers Marie Laure Ankaoua (COO), David Backstrom (CEO) and Paul Nordone (R&D).

Congresswoman Hirono participated in a roundtable to discuss various topics related to
trade, sustainability, and other issues of importance to Hawaii and small business. Her
visit marks her dedication to small business and trends that have led to companies, such as NBI,
being recognized for the prestigious APEC conference.

Marie-Laure Ankaoua, COO of Noni Biotech International, stated “We have high quality
affordable products available to all. The fact that APEC is working on reducing tariffs and
other trade barriers across the Asia-Pacific region is crucial for our company.”
NBI is currently exporting to over 50 countries averaging 100% annual sales growth over the
last five years with non-U.S. sales representing over 55% of total sales. NBI is currently doing
business with several APEC members and is looking to have distributors and business
partners in all 21 APEC member economies.

Background
On 16 May 2011, Noni Biotech International received the Presidential “E” Export Award in
Washington D.C. by Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke, now Ambassador to China. .
Following the award, Noni Biotech International has gained significant attention to
their products and has interest in growing the company to becoming the premier noni
business in Hawaii.

Company Mission and Values The company mission is to combine traditional
Hawaiian healing with state of the art scientific research to make the noni available to the
world and to continue to establish Hawaii as a center for innovative agricultural crop
development and High technology processing capabilities.

Paul Nordone, Director of R&D showing Congresswoman Mazie K. Hirono the new equipment received from a recent Federal QTDP (Qualified Therapeutic Discovery Project) Grant

Among the business owner presents were James Krueger – Krueger & Wong (Trial
Lawyers), Clarence Tavares – Sunny Vick (Road Construction), Mimi Hu – Levin&Hu
LLP, CPA (Certified Public Accountant), Bernard Mohan – Island Pacifica (Ancient
Hawaiian Art Printing). Pier Paolo De Angelis – The Studio Maui (Dance and Yoga),
Christian Yves Puibaraud – Studio Furniture Maui (Art Furniture Manufacturing), Bernard
Tristan Foong – Bernard Foong (Fashion Designer) Were also present: James IPO Mossman –
Office of Economic Development (project Specialist) and Fred Rickert – Hawaii Small Business Development Center – (Maui Director)

APEC:
The APEC 2011 Leaders’ Week will take place in Honolulu on Nov. 7-13 with the Leaders’
Meeting on Nov. 12 and 13, and is the culmination of a series of events held
throughout the year in the United States. The Leaders’ Meeting is expected to attract
approximately 20,000 attendees including the leaders of the 21 APEC member economies,
ministers, business leaders and news media. For more
information, please visit apec2011hawaii.com.

Company Contact:
Marie Laure Ankaoua
Chief Operation Officer
www.nonimaui.com

Congresswoman Mazie K. Hirono with Marie Laure Ankaoua, the company Chief Operating officer and Mimi Hu – Levin&Hu LLP, Certified Public Accountant.

Noni Biotech International Receives

Presidential “E” Award for Exports

May 16, 2011.

World Trade Week ceremonies in Washington DC.

Noni Biotech International today was awarded the Presidential “E” Award for Exports by U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Gary Locke at the Department’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. The “E” Awards are the highest recognition any U.S. entity may receive for making a significant contribution to the expansion of U.S. exports.

U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, Noni Biotech COO Marie-Laure Ankaoua, Noni Biotech CEO David Backstrom, Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Francisco J. Sánchez

“Exporting continues to be the foundation of our sales growth, and we are honored to receive the “E” Award,” said David Backstrom, Noni Biotech International’s President and CEO. “Our Company has grown significantly in the past few years, doubling sales each year through 2009. Over the past 6 years, export sales grew to nearly 60% of our total sales. Since 2006, we focused mainly on international sales. “Today, our Company ships containers of Hawaiian Noni product to countries throughout Europe, Asia and Africa, and in 2010, the Company continued its expansion abroad, by securing customers from some of the most attractive emerging markets like China, Lithuania, Croatia, Israel, Nigeria, and is in negotiation with countries such as Poland, United Arab Emirates, Thailand, and Malaysia” said Scott Owens, Director of Operations.

“Noni Biotech International headquarters and R&D lab are located in Maui, Hawaii and has its manufacturing facility in Hilo, Big Island of Hawaii” added Marie-Laure Ankaoua, the Company’s Chief Operating Officer. “The Hilo manufacturing facility helped to spur economic development in a rural area as the Company created new jobs in its Hilo factory on the Big Island. The Company also provided jobs for over 80 Noni far-mers and their families on the Big Island that are selling daily their fruits to be processed at the factory” said Ankaoua.

“Noni Biotech International provides its consumers with the highest quality all-natural Hawaiian Noni grown in the pristine Hawaiian coastal environment. The products include Noni juice, Noni powder and Noni capsules, Noni puree, and Noni concentrate”.

“The Company also has a subsidiary, Pacific Biotech LLC (PB) that engages in research and development of Noni extracts and other endemic Hawaiian plants. New scientific discoveries will add value to our worldwide product distribution” added Paul Nordone, VP and Director of R&D.

“Exports are a key driver of America’s economic recovery,” said Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke. “President Obama’s National Export Initiative (NEI), which aims to double U.S. exports by 2015 in support of several million American jobs, is a robust, forward-looking trade agenda with an emphasis on domestic job growth.  Noni Biotech International is being honored today for making significant contributions toward fulfilling that agenda.”

“I congratulate you on your significant export achievement. It is businesses like yours that will help us meet or exceed the President’s NEI goals. Your firm provides an example we hope more American companies will follow,” Locke added.

A business client of the Department’s U.S. Commercial Service, Noni Biotech International has benefited from export counseling, trade shows, market research, and business matchmaking to greatly expand its export sales.  While Europe and Asia represents a significant portion of the company’s foreign market sales, the firm does business in several other regions of the world as well. Noni Biotech International demonstrated a substantial increase in the volume of exports over a four-year period, a major criterion for the award.

U.S. companies are nominated for the “E” Awards through the U.S. Commercial Service office network in 108 U.S. cities and more than 75 countries which helps U.S. companies export. Criteria for the award is based on four years of successive export growth, usually accompanied by a rising percentage of export sales within total sales. An applicant’s demonstration of an innovative international marketing plan that led to the increase in exports is a significant factor in making the award.

“Noni Biotech was nominated for the President’s E-Award by John Holman, Director of the Hawaii Export Assistance Center, a division of the U.S. Department of Commerce. In collaboration with his colleagues at the U.S. Embassies around the globe, Mr. Holman has been helping the Company the past few years to enter new international markets all over the world” said Ankaoua.

All nominations are reviewed by the “E” Award Committee, which is chaired by the Department of Commerce, and includes representatives from ExIm Bank, and the Departments of Labor, State, and Transportation.

President Kennedy revived the World War II “E” symbol of excellence to honor and provide recognition to America’s exporters. Thus, the “E” Award Program was established by Executive Order 10978 on December 5, 1961.

A total of 27 U.S. companies were presented with the “E” Award at the May 16, 2011 World Trade Week ceremonies in Washington DC.

In August 2011, the Company was selected as a finalist for Maui County in the APEC statewide Business Innovation Showcase.

***

Contact Information:

Marie Laure Ankaoua, VP – COO
Noni Biotech Int LLC/ Pacific Biotech LLC

Haiku, Hawaii, 96708 USA

Tel: 1 808 575 9100

20 MAY 2010

Noni Biotech International Recognized by the U.S. Department of Commerce with Export Achievement Award

Hawaiian Premium Noni Company is honored for its export effort

David Backstrom, President and CEO of Noni Biotech International and Marie-Laure Ankaoua, VP & COO, receive the prestigious award at the Governor’s office on the fifth floor of the Hawaii State Capitol building.

From left to right: Marc E Rousseau, Esq – Cades Schutte LLP, David Backstrom, President and CEO of Noni Biotech International, Marie-Laure Ankaoua, VP & COO of Noni Biotech International, Governor Linda Lingle, John Holman, Director of U. S. Commercial Service, Paul Nordone, MS. VP of R&D, Noni Biotech International, Mimi Hu, CPA of Levin & Hu LLP.

Noni Biotech International Recognized by the U.S. Department of Commerce with Export Achievement Award.

The Hawaii Export Assistance Center provided ongoing support for Noni Biotech that allowed the company to make its first sale of a container to a new distributor in South Korea.

May 19, 2010

Noni Biotech International LLC (NBI) was awarded on May 19^th, 2010 an Export Achievement Certificate  from the United States Department of Commerce for excellence in exporting products made in Hawaii.  Governor Linda Lingle along with John Holman, Director of U.S. Commercial Service, presented the award, at the Hawaii State Capital building.

“We are honored and very grateful for this recognition”, commented David Backstrom, Noni Biotech CEO while accepting the award.  “The U.S. Department of Commerce Export Center has been an invaluable partner to Noni Biotech as we worked together to expand the worldwide consumption of Hawaiian made Noni products.

The Export Achievement Certificate award signed by the Director General of the U.S. Commercial Service recognizes small and medium sized enterprises that have successfully entered the international marketplace.

ALSO ATTENDING THE CEREMONY:

Noni Biotech International investor: Michael T. Moore, EA, CFP – The Jung Financial Group, Ltd.

ABOUT THE COMPANY

Noni Biotech International is dedicated to the development, manufacturing and marketing of Noni based products derived from the Noni plant grown in Hawaii. The company also engages in scientific research as well as contracted clinical studies with major U. S. universities and is in the process of isolating and identifying a cancer inhibitor.

Noni Biotech is currently the largest Noni manufacturer in the State of Hawaii, and the company’s vision is to combine its scientific research with traditional Hawaiian healing.

Contact Information: Marie Laure Ankaoua, Noni Biotech International COO

(808) 575-9100 www.nonimaui.com