Press ReleasesNippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd. Develops New PREMIUMTM Paper Cup - A Higher grade paper cup than conventional paper cups offers original beverage aromas –

Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd.

Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd. (headquartered in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) announces that it has developed, jointly with DIXIE JAPAN LTD. (headquartered in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo), the PREMIUM^TM high quality cup that enables the original aromas and flavors of beverages to be experienced by reducing the characteristic smell of paper cups to the greatest extent possible.

The Company, which has been involved in the tea industry through its agricultural business, has found that paper cups are rarely used for tea tasting. The Company believes that this is because the smell originating from the polyethylene used in paper cups counteracts, in no small way, the convenience of paper cups when drinking tea, for which the delicate aroma is particularly important. Recently, in light of the growing demand for aromas due to the ever-increasing popularity of products featuring different flavors, not only beverages, the Company and DIXIE JAPAN have been working on the development of a new paper cup that offers the pleasure of experiencing the original aromas and flavors of beverages.

As a result, the Company has succeeded in developing the PREMIUM^TM, a paper cup that is one notch above conventional paper cups, which enables the original aromas and flavors of beverages to be experienced. The cup is able to bring out the original aromas by reducing the characteristic smell of paper cups to the greatest extent possible. A sensory analysis performed during the development stage shows that approximately 80% of testers felt that they were able to smell the original aromas of the beverages (see attachment). The Company expects that the newly developed paper cup will help deliver the passion of producers such as tea growers to consumers.

The new PREMIUM^TM paper cup, which is more cold- and heat-resistant than conventional plastic cups, can be used for a variety of purposes such as sake-tasting events, sensory evaluations conducted by food or beverage producers, development by drug makers, in addition to tea drinking in which its aroma is particularly important.

Going forward, the Company will continue to develop products made of paper for a variety of uses, and create a new value-added paper cup market.

The Company plans to exhibit the product at TOKYO PACK 2014(*), which will be held from October 7 (Tue) - 10 (Fri).