Holista CollTech and Leading Australian Fast-Food Chain QSRH to Collaborate on Three Breakthrough Patents for Healthier Food

09 Nov 2011

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While many fast food consumers demand a ‘salty’ taste, the high sodium content can lead to cardiovascular diseases. Holista’s process offers healthier, low-sodium salt that does not compromise taste or consumer satisfaction. Using natural ingredients, the low-sodium salt blunts the ‘metallic after taste’ usually associated with other low-sodium alternatives.

Nov 9 2011 --- Australian Securities announced the signing of a two-year exclusivityagreement with Quick Service Restaurant Holdings Pty Limited (“QSRH”). QSRH is one of Australia’s leading fast-food operators with over 600 restaurants in Australia.

Under the agreement, Holista, using its breakthrough patented technologies, will supply its proprietary ingredients exclusively to QSRH for joint research and development with HCT for

a period of 2 years, with the aim of offering healthier food to QSRH customers without chemical additives. During this period Holista has agreed not to sell its ingredients or products to any other competitor of QSRH within the Australian market.

Holista is responsible for all costs of the research and development, presently budgeted on an indicative basis to be approximately $820,000. Holista will receive milestone payments

from QSRH for a portion of those costs, and will look to attract research and development grants to assist in the funding of such costs.

Prices for the supply of product by Holista to QSRH have been agreed on reasonable commercial terms. Sales are subject to the completion of work to integrate the Holista technology into the QRSH product pipeline and QSRH being satisfied that it will be able to commercially utilize any of the products. Holista and QRSH will jointly support this integration work. In recognition of this collaboration, Holista and QSRH have agreed to a preferential supply arrangement for a further 5 years and beyond the initial 2-year exclusivity.

The collaboration between Holista and QSRH, involves three patents and covers:

- a potato chip which absorbs less fat during frying;

- a low-sodium salt; and

- a low GI bread which, when consumed, digests and absorbs carbohydrates more slowly while releasing glucose more gradually into the bloodstream.

Holista, a bio-technology food ingredient specialist with operations in Australia and Asia, will supply the natural ingredients for these three formulations. All the ingredients are Asian

foods and are listed by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as “Generally regarded as safe (GRAS)”.

QSRH, operator of iconic Australian brands - Red Rooster, Oporto and Chicken Treat – is proactive in its efforts to enhance the quality and health benefits of its food offerings.

“We are really excited to be the first Australian quick service restaurant chain looking to deploy these ground-breaking developments in food technology into our system. We believe

they will deliver health benefits for our customers, and in turn offer us a substantial competitive advantage,” said Mr Mark Lindsay, QSRH’s Group CEO.

Holista conducted initial research on the ingredients in the United Kingdom, India and Malaysia before validation undertaken at the University of Western Australia as part of the

commercialisation project.

“This is a landmark event because it is the first time in the world a major quick service restaurant group has attempted to tackle the global epidemic of obesity, diabetes and

cardiovascular disease,” said Dato’ Dr. Rajen Marnickavasagar, CEO of Holista. “The success of this rollout in Australia could have major implications for the global fast-food

industry.”

Potato chips represent about 35.5% of worldwide savoury snacks consumption, with the global market for potato chips market – often cited as a leading cause for child obesity –

estimated at US $16.4 billion. Dr Rajen said Holista’s process aims to not only reduce fat absorption by nearly 40% when the potatoes are fried, but the low-fat chips are crispier, less

oily and lower in calorie content.