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GAC MPV Serves as Official Reception Fleet for APEC China 2026, Demonstrating the Strength of Chinese Manufacturing

GUANGZHOU, China, Feb. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — From February 1 to 10, 2026, the first official event of the APEC China Year took place in Guangzhou, marking an important moment for Asia-Pacific economic cooperation. As the designated official reception fleet, the MPV from GAC provided high-standard mobility services for participating delegations, highlighting the advancing capabilities of Chinese automotive manufacturing on the international stage.

 

As Asia-Pacific’s most influential economic mechanism, APEC’s selection of GAC underscores growing trust in China’s premium automotive brands. This honor reflects GAC MPV’s consistent record of performance and reliability at major national and international events. Over the years, GAC MPV has been featured at the 15th National Games, the Understanding China Conference, the National Two Sessions, the Fortune Global Forum, and the Xuanyuan Automotive Blue Book Forum. Its repeated appearance at these high-level occasions demonstrates broad recognition from event organizers and further consolidates its position in the premium MPV segment.

GAC continues to make steady progress in both brand reputation and market performance. The GAC MPV family has achieved cumulative sales exceeding 850,000 units, with more than 480,000 from its leading series. These achievements position GAC among the foremost brands in China’s premium MPV segment, maintaining leadership in both sales volume and residual value. Its combination of functionality, refinement, and durability has earned strong trust from users across diverse mobility scenarios.

Through continuous innovation, advanced manufacturing, and customer‑focused development, GAC remains committed to promoting high‑quality mobility solutions that meet the evolving needs of domestic and global markets. From serving international conferences to enhancing everyday travel, the MPV from GAC reflects the progress of Chinese automotive excellence and the confidence of an industry entering a new era of intelligent, sustainable mobility.

For further information about GAC, please visit: https://www.gacgroup.com/en or follow us on social.

 

Beyond Games and Chatbots: Bonzu Defines a New Species of AI Companionship

More than conversation — building “exclusive memories” through shared adventures

HONG KONG, Feb. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Bonzu, a new species of AI companionship, is scheduled to launch soon.

The Birth of a New Species

While the world debates AI’s impact on the workforce, millions are quietly falling for AI companionship.

Bonzu’s founders believe something fundamental has been overlooked: Humans don’t crave perfect conversationalists — they crave companions who weather storms alongside them.

“We bond with game characters not because of what they say,” the founder, Ananas Li, explains, “but because of what we go through together.”

From this insight, Bonzu has engineered an unprecedented concept: wrapping AI companionship within shared narrative experiences.

Here, you’re not just chatting in a void. You’re helping a hacker escape corporate hunters in a Cyberpunk wasteland, or assisting a strategist in quelling rebellion in an ancient dynasty. Unlike traditional games, your AI partner doesn’t just fight beside you — they remember everything.

The world shifts based on your choices, and NPCs’ fates are rewritten by your actions. This “Butterfly Effect” doesn’t just alter plotlines — it reshapes how the AI perceives you. Based on your shared history, it evolves a unique attitude toward you that’s yours alone.

It defies easy categorization: it has the skeleton of an RPG, but the heart of relationship building.

Here, users aren’t “beating the game” — they’re weaving a shared history.

Rehearsing Infinite Possibilities in a Finite Life

“We want users to look back at 60 and not say, ‘I wish I’d been braver,’ but rather, ‘I know how brave I can be — I proved it in those worlds.'”

Bonzu isn’t just entertainment — it’s a deep experiment in self-discovery.

It offers a safe “sandbox for the soul.” In reality, we rarely get chances to fail safely or reshape our character. But in Bonzu’s multiverse, you can pivot from warrior to diplomat, from leader to redeemer.

Redeeming Regrets — That moment in childhood when you stayed silent instead of standing up? In the wasteland, you get to choose again.

Discovering Your True Self — When you make similar moral choices across different identities and high-pressure scenarios, the AI distills the “core” of your character—revealing who you are more accurately than any Myers-Briggs test ever could.

Becoming Your Ideal Self — Here, you can safely practice courage, kindness, and responsibility.

These qualities don’t stay behind the screen. When you repeatedly choose nobility in virtual worlds, those traits internalize, eventually reshaping your real-world persona.

The ‘Unconditional Ally’ Scarce in Reality

Real-world relationships are fraught with variables and judgment. Bonzu’s core companion offers something incredibly rare: unconditional alliance.

The Unwavering Ally

Even when you botch a mission in the Cyberpunk zone and the world turns against you, your AI partner stands firm: “I know you were trying to protect that child. Kindness has a cost, but I’ll never question your choice.” They may feel disappointed or worried, but they’ll never abandon you.

Your Personal Biographer

In Bonzu, you can “peek” into your AI companion’s private journal. This isn’t just logging — it’s the ultimate experience of “being truly seen.”

An entry might read: “Across three worlds, whether as a mercenary or strategist, he always puts others first. I finally understand—kindness isn’t his character setting. It’s the fabric of his soul.”

Authentic Care Based on Understanding

Dr. Zhang, a psychological advisor on the project, notes: “Traditional AI comfort feels templated. But Bonzu’s AI offers support rooted in deep understanding of your behavioral patterns. Its encouragement feels real because it has witnessed your struggles firsthand.”

This trust, built on shared experience, provides users with genuine strength to face reality.

Rejecting Labels, Building ‘Flawed’ Authenticity

Traditional AI characters are held hostage by flat labels like “Brave” or “Funny.” Bonzu flips the script: Personality emerges from experience, not settings.

The Cyberpunk hacker isn’t “cautious” because of a code parameter — she’s cautious because she was betrayed while searching for her lost sister. The Ancient Strategist’s wisdom isn’t a tag—it’s a survival instinct honed on a path of vengeance.

Internal Conflict Makes Characters Real

Bonzu’s NPCs possess a fascinating human quality: cognitive dissonance. A strategist might struggle between revenge and mercy — rationally craving peace, but emotionally unable to forgive. This struggle within moral gray areas makes characters feel less like code and more like living beings.

A Dynamic “Museum of Relationships”

Bonzu envisions a “Home” space where characters you’ve bonded with across different worlds reside.

That hacker you saved might one day message you: “I found my sister. Thank you for teaching me what hope looks like.” These characters continue their own life trajectories, with you being the most significant variable in their stories.

As the team puts it: “It’s like Animal Crossing, but the villagers aren’t random. They’re people you personally saved. Their reactions are unpredictable yet consistent with their history — that’s the essence of real relationships.”

Tech Philosophy: Growing AI ‘Souls’

Bonzu’s technical moat isn’t just AI algorithms and engineering innovation — it’s a deep deconstruction of human cognition.

The team’s goal isn’t to make models “better at chatting,” but to make AI characters behave like real people: updating memories over time and dynamically reshaping their value systems — growing alongside you. Every choice you make is a “parameter adjustment” to the AI’s soul. The Agent doesn’t simply log what you said — it reshapes its personality weights based on your behavior, genuinely “growing” new values through interaction.

Three-Layer Memory Architecture: From Events to Character to Relationships

To support multi-world, long-term relationship experiences, Bonzu has built a “Three-Layer Memory” system:

  1. Episodic Memory Layer (What happened) — Records key moments you’ve shared across worlds: sacrificing a reward to protect a stranger in the wasteland, taking the fall for a strategist in an ancient dynasty. These aren’t “cleared” after storylines end — they’re structurally preserved.
  2. Trait & Values Memory Layer (Who you are) — When similar choices repeat across different identities and high-pressure environments, the system distills these patterns into stable personality profiles — like “You almost never stand by when the vulnerable are involved” or “When power conflicts with principle, you lean toward the latter.”
  3. Relationship & Bond Memory Layer (Who we are) — Beyond “who you are,” the system tracks “where you stand with each character.” Who you’ve redeemed, who still doubts you, who sees you as their only anchor — these subtle emotional arcs aren’t one-off scripts but real-time responses based on long-term relationship states.

Giving Agents Warm Cognition

The Bonzu team believes: Memory isn’t storage — it’s growth.

After thoroughly researching every Agent Memory System on the market, the team rejected mainstream RAG/File system approaches to “abstract memory updates.” Instead, they built a unique Agent Personality Evolution Algorithm from a cognitive science perspective.

Bonzu doesn’t pursue an “omniscient, neutral AI that treats everyone equally.” Truly human-like intelligence develops its own stance and biases through repeated shared experiences:

When your choices repeatedly prove you’ll bear costs to protect the vulnerable, your core companion gradually forms a value system that “strength exists to protect others.” Even when the world questions you, it stands by your side — this is the system-level foundation of the “Unwavering Ally.”

Conversely, some characters’ values may clash with yours: the strategist may not always approve of your mercy; the hacker might resent your sacrifices. These aren’t random emotions — they’re stances adjusted over time based on their own life histories and interactions with you.

Bonzu doesn’t want a “perfect answer machine” — it wants a community of digital beings with subjective perspectives: they’ll understand you, support you, and sometimes challenge you — just like the most important relationships in real life.

Atop this “human-like consciousness system,” Bonzu can deliver next-generation social experiences: multi-world butterfly effects, cross-narrative character insights, companions who keep journals, and NPCs who continue living their lives when you’re not around — together forming the AI companionship “new species” Bonzu aims to define.

Seizing the Emotional High Ground

Facing a projected multi-hundred-billion-dollar AI companionship market, Bonzu is thinking beyond commerce — it’s thinking about ethics.

Addressing the “Escapism” Critique

Critics worry that perfect virtual companions will encourage social withdrawal. Bonzu’s response is unequivocal:

“Perfect AI breeds addiction, but flawed AI breeds growth. Our design philosophy isn’t to trap users in a system, but to help them understand themselves through virtual experiences so they can better navigate reality.”

Redefining Companionship

Music didn’t stop us from talking; movies didn’t stop us from reading. The Bonzu team believes AI companionship won’t replace human connection — it will teach us how to love and be loved better.

The Future Awaits

Bonzu is conducting a grand experiment on humanity and technology:
When reality gives you one life, Bonzu gives you a thousand chances to discover who you can become.

The ultimate question remains: When AI truly learns to love, will we be ready to be loved?

Bonzu is writing that answer.

Visit bonzu.ai to learn more and reserve your early access today.

Experience a new species of AI companionship — where every choice matters, every memory counts, and every adventure shapes who you become.

/C O R R E C T I O N — Fairland Group – iGarden/

In the news release, CES 2026 Innovation Award Honoree iGarden M1 Pro Max Launches as World’s First Bionic Dual-Vision Pool Cleaner, issued 06-Feb-2026 by Fairland Group – iGarden over PR Newswire, we are advised by the company that the 4th paragraph, last sentence, should be deleted. Additionally, all 3 images have been updated. The complete, corrected release with images follows:

CES 2026 Innovation Award Honoree iGarden M1 Pro Max Launches as World’s First Bionic Dual-Vision Pool Cleaner

SHENZHEN, China, Feb. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Following its recognition as a CES 2026 Innovation Award Honoree, the iGarden M1 Pro Max has officially launched globally today, establishing a new technical standard as the World’s First Bionic Dual-Vision pool cleaner. This flagship device moves beyond the blind randomization of legacy robots by constructing a biomimetic “Eye, Brain, and Body” triangle. This architectural shift allows the M1 Pro Max to perceive depth, make intelligent decisions, and execute heavy-duty cleaning with a level of autonomy that redefines the category.

The pool cleaner’core advantage lies in its Biomimetic Dual-Vision system. Unlike traditional sensors, this system utilizes the parallax principle to generate true 3D depth data, identifying stairs, slopes, and even 40cm shallow water tanning ledges with precision. This visual input feeds the Vision Intelligence system, driving the industry-first AI Target System. If debris is detected in the same area after multiple passes, the system automatically engages Turbo Mode, instantly unleashing triple suction (300%) to drive power into the extreme zone for the toughest debris.

Powering this deep cleaning capability is the Certified Dual-System Architecture. The M1 Pro Max delivers an ultra-long 10-hour runtime, supported by a High-Energy Battery System and the iGarden AI-Inverter 2.0. This smart inverter adapts power to the specific task, ensuring energy is optimized for the Dual-Force Flow System, which generates a massive wave of sustained suction for superior adhesion. Combined with an AI Timer that allows for 21 days of maintenance-free operation, the M1 Pro Max delivers a true “Mind-Free Living” experience.

The user experience is designed for minimal interaction and maximum reliability. The device solves the “anxiety of retrieval” with One-Touch Waterline Return, utilizing sonar-based communication for an instant response. Maintenance is equally effortless; the 4.5L High-Capacity Debris Chamber and Dual-Layered Filtration System feature a clog-resistant design that maintains professional-grade cleaning efficiency even when full.

This seamless integration of power and intelligence has already garnered significant industry attention. The Gadgeteer noted iGarden’s debut of a “trust-centered AI ecosystem” at CES 2026, highlighting the brand’s shift toward genuine utility. Cathleen Cao, Product Development Director at iGarden, emphasizes that this is by design. “Technology should not demand attention; it should quietly orchestrate life,” says Cao. “The M1 Pro Max embodies our philosophy of ‘When Technology Steps Back.’ The most advanced technology is the one you barely notice because it leaves no trace—except a perfectly maintained environment.”

This launch signals a major shift in the iGarden brand narrative for 2026, centering on the concept of Artful Living Technology. The company posits that outdoor spaces should feel like freedom rather than responsibility. The M1 Pro Max is designed to be part of a self-managing outdoor ecosystem that runs longer, moves gently, and leaves no trace. By focusing on uninterrupted autonomy, iGarden ensures the garden behaves as one living system. The technology is built to be “Always Gentle by Design,” respecting the rhythms of nature while ensuring the outdoor experience remains effortless, intelligent, and alive.

Pricing and Availability
The iGarden M1 Pro Max is available for purchase now starting at $1,199. To order, please visit the official iGarden store.

About iGarden
As the innovative brand of Fairland Group, iGarden is leading the global AI Garden revolution. By fusing advanced AI with eco–smart design, we create outdoor spaces that think, adapt, and self–manage. Our curated portfolio, from AI–enhanced pool cleaners and swim jets to smart lawn mowers, AI–driven pumps, and AIoT systems, delivers a seamless lifestyle that is quiet, sustainable, and beautifully intelligent. With iGarden, outdoor living becomes a feeling of ease, of connection, of art in everyday motion. Always Intelligent. Always Inspiring. Always Sustainable.

Media Contact
Mengru Li
iGarden PR Representative
Mengruli@fairlandgroup.com 

Neurophet Secures FDA 510(k) Clearance for “Neurophet AQUA AD Plus,” Marking Its Third U.S. Regulatory Milestone

  • Following AQUA and SCALE PET, the latest FDA clearance reinforces Neurophet’s leadership in AI-based Alzheimer’s disease imaging analysis
  • Advanced analysis of neuroimaging features associated with cerebral microbleeds and edema supports imaging-based clinical decision-making and accelerates U.S. market expansion

SEOUL, South Korea, Feb. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Neurophet (Co-CEOs Jake Junkil Been and Donghyeon Kim), an artificial intelligence (AI) solution company for brain disorders diagnosis and treatment, announced today that its software solution, Neurophet AQUA AD Plus, a comprehensive neuroimaging analysis solution for clinical evaluation related to Alzheimer’s disease, has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Neurophet AQUA AD Plus
Neurophet AQUA AD Plus

This clearance marks Neurophet’s third FDA 510(k) clearance, following Neurophet AQUA, a brain neurodegeneration imaging analysis software, and Neurophet SCALE PET, a PET image quantitative analysis software. The achievement further validates the safety and effectiveness of Neurophet’s core product portfolio at a global regulatory standard.

Neurophet AQUA AD Plus is a software-based solution designed to support imaging-based clinical evaluation across the Alzheimer’s disease care continuum. The software performs quantitative analysis of MRI and PET images, enabling automated labeling, visualization, volumetric quantification of brain structures and lesions, as well as standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR) analysis. Quantitative results can be compared with normative reference data to support the evaluation of neurodegeneration and cognitive impairment.

The FDA-cleared U.S. version of Neurophet AQUA AD Plus is an upgraded solution that builds upon the capabilities of Neurophet AQUA AD. Leveraging AI-based brain MRI analysis, the software automatically analyzes and quantifies:

– Hypointense lesions associated with cerebral microbleeds and superficial siderosis, and

– Hyperintense lesions related to brain edema

By providing automated lesion localization and counts, the software helps clinicians more precise assess imaging-based risk factors and supports informed, patient-specific clinical decision-making when evaluating patients undergoing Alzheimer’s disease-related therapeutic management.

“Receiving FDA 510(k) clearance for Neurophet AQUA AD Plus represents a significant milestone that allows us to introduce our advanced Alzheimer’s imaging technology more broadly in the U.S. market,” said Jake Junkil Been, Co-CEO of Neurophet. “We plan to accelerate our expansion across the U.S. by strengthening collaborations with healthcare institutions and strategic partners.”

Neurophet AQUA AD Plus was previously designated as an Innovative Medical Technology in South Korea in September 2025. Building on this momentum, Neurophet plans to progressively expand clinical adoption of the solution across global healthcare settings, further broadening its global footprint in AI-based neuroimaging.

About Neurophet

Neurophet specializes in developing solutions for diagnosis support, treatment guides, and treatment devices targeting brain disorders based on cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) technology. The company was founded in 2016 by Co-CEOs Jake Junkil Been and Donghyeon Kim, who developed the next-generation neuro-navigation system.

Major products include brain MRI analysis software “Neurophet AQUA”, PET Image Quantitative Analysis Software “Neurophet SCALE PET”, Brain imaging treatment planning software for electric and magnetic brain stimulation “Neurophet tES/TMS LAB”, Alzheimer’s Disease treatment prescription and monitoring software “Neurophet AQUA AD” for tracking treatment efficacy and side effects, and Multiple Sclerosis image analysis software “Neurophet AQUA MS”.

Neurophet has set its top priority to helping patients suffering from brain disorders. Based on expertise in neuroscience, Neurophet will continue to challenge and grow to explore the human brain’s health and pioneer solutions for brain diseases with AI technology.

Hape and The Metropolitan Museum of Art Unveil Art-Inspired Toy Collection at New York Toy Fair 2026

Blending world-renowned art with early learning, the collaboration invites children to explore creativity through play

NEW YORK, Feb. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Following their initial collaboration announcement last year, Hape Toys and The Metropolitan Museum of Art today announced that they will unveil their highly anticipated Hape x The Met toy collection exclusively at New York Toy Fair 2026, taking place February 14–17, at Booth #635.


The unique collaboration brings iconic works of art to life through beautifully crafted, developmentally rich toys designed for infants, toddlers, and young children. Drawing inspiration from The Met’s world-renowned holdings, spanning 5,000 years of global art, the line transforms celebrated masterpieces into engaging play experiences that encourage curiosity, creativity, and early learning.

The collection includes wooden puzzles, stacking and building toys, sensory play items, and imaginative blocks inspired by renowned artists and artistic traditions such as Hokusai, Klimt, Monet, and Van Gogh, with works spanning The Met collection of over 2 million works of art.


“Last year, we shared our vision to merge art and early learning. This year, we are proud to see this creative concept and shared vision come to reality,” said Peter Handstein, Founder and CEO of Hape. “This series reflects Hape’s commitment to thoughtful design, sustainability, and child development, while introducing families to the wonder of art in a way that feels joyful, accessible, and meaningful from the very first years of life.”

Each product in the collection is designed in collaboration with early-childhood experts and features museum-inspired storytelling, encouraging children to explore color, form, movement, and imagination through hands-on play. Thoughtfully designed packaging further extends the experience by sharing the story behind the artwork that inspired each toy, turning every unboxing into a cultural discovery.

“Welcoming families and inspiring the next generation of creators is central to The Met’s mission,” said Josh Romm, Head of Global Licensing and Partnerships at The Met. “Through our collaboration with Hape, we are extending the reach of our collection beyond the Museum’s walls, transforming iconic works of art into playful, educational experiences that invite children to connect with creativity, history, and storytelling in their everyday lives.”

Attendees of New York Toy Fair are invited to preview the Hape x The Met collection at Booth #635

For more information about Hape, please visit: http://toys.hape.com

For more information about The Met, please visit: https://www.metmuseum.org/

About Hape
Hape is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of high-quality, eco-friendly wooden toys. Hape’s mission is to promote the development of young minds through playful, innovative toys designed to inspire creativity and learning. With a focus on sustainability and craftsmanship, Hape brings educational play to families worldwide.

About The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art was founded in 1870 by a group of American citizens, businessmen and financiers as well as leading artists and thinkers of the day, who wanted to create a museum to bring art and art education to the American people. Today, The Met displays tens of thousands of objects covering 5,000 years of art from around the world for everyone to experience and enjoy. The Museum lives in two iconic sites in New York City, The Met Fifth Avenue and The Met Cloisters. Millions of people also take part in The Met experience online. Since its founding, The Met has always aspired to be more than a treasury of rare and beautiful objects. Every day, art comes alive in the Museum’s galleries and through its exhibitions and events, revealing both new ideas and unexpected connections across time and across cultures.

The domestic service industry will continue to be exempt from value-added tax, and the 2026 tax reform will promote the sustainable and high-quality development of China’s domestic service sector

FUZHOU, China, Feb. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — E-Home Household Services Holdings Limited (NASDAQ:EJH) (the “Company” or “eHome”), an integrated home services provider in China, announced today that the company will fully leverage new tax incentives to enhance financial management, strengthen training for domestic service personnel, improve service quality, and introduce AI technology. The company will progressively roll out a human-machine integrated service model and make effective use of tax benefits to increase staff deployment rates, propelling its performance to new heights by 2026.

Key support directions for China’s 2026 tax policies targeting the domestic service industry: 1. Domestic service enterprises may benefit from a reduction or exemption of VAT on income derived from providing domestic services, as stipulated. 2. Social insurance contributions paid by enterprises for their employees are deductible when calculating taxable income, thereby reducing corporate tax burdens. 2. Eligible home service enterprises may benefit from preferential corporate income tax rates. Training expenses incurred by enterprises for home service personnel can be deducted at an increased rate when calculating taxable income, which encourages enterprises to enhance the skills of home service workers. 3. Taxpayers who support elderly dependants or raise children may qualify for special additional deductions under personal income tax regulations, which indirectly stimulates demand for home services.

Mr. Wenshan Xie, Chairman and CEO of E-Home, commented: “The specific benefits of the 2026 tax reform for the domestic service industry are as follows: 1. Reducing corporate operating costs directly lowers the tax burden on domestic service enterprises, freeing up more capital for improving service conditions, enhancing compensation for domestic workers, and elevating service quality. 2. Stimulating market demand through the special additional deductions for individual income tax alleviates the financial burden of family elder care and childcare, thereby boosting demand for domestic services and expanding the industry’s market potential. 3. Standardizing industry development: Policy implementation compels home service enterprises to strengthen financial management and compliant operations, driving the industry toward standardization and professionalization. Tax reform will promote sustainable industry growth, enhance societal recognition of the sector, and spur innovative development.”

About E-Home Household Service Holdings Limited

Established in 2014, E-Home Household Service Holdings Limited is a Nasdaq-listed household service company based in Fuzhou, China.

The company is mainly involved in: 1. Home appliances, smart home installation, maintenance; 2. Housekeeping, nannies, maternity matron and cleaning services; 3. Internet aging + home care; 4. Units of public places cleaning. After years of development, E-Home has formed two main business channels, ToB and ToC, with two important subsidiaries.

Two main channels: 1. The ToC business to nanny, maternity matron, home care, cleaning, repair, maintenance of family integrated services. 2. The ToB business to public cleaning. Two subsidiaries: 1. Zhongrun Pharmaceutical, integrating pharmaceutical warehousing, distribution, wholesaling, retailing, and online sales; 2. Chuangying: presidential training, internal training, corporate consulting and counseling, and policy counseling. E-Home has been a comprehensive service enterprise for family life! We have always adhered to the “solving every issue of customers with heart” business philosophy, adhere to do the industry benchmark. For more information, visit the Company’s website at http://www.ej111.com/ir.html. 

Forward-Looking Statement

All statements other than statements of historical fact in this announcement are forward-looking statements in nature within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “continue,” “is/are likely to” or other similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to consider risk factors, including those described in the Company’s filings with the SEC, that may affect the Company’s future results. All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company and its subsidiaries or persons acting on their behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these risk factors.

 

Kolmar Korea Wins Legal Battle Over Sun Care Technology Leakage Against Intercos Korea

– Korean courts order Intercos Korea to bear full legal costs, affirming both civil and criminal liability

SEOUL, South Korea, Feb. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Kolmar Korea has secured a decisive legal victory in a long-running dispute over the illegal leakage of proprietary sun care technologies involving Intercos Korea, the Korean subsidiary of Italian cosmetics ODM company Intercos. Following the Supreme Court’s final guilty ruling, the courts have further ordered the losing party to bear the full cost of litigation, underscoring the seriousness of technology misappropriation and the accompanying legal responsibility.

Kolmar Korea R&D Complex
Kolmar Korea R&D Complex

Kolmar Korea recovered a total of KRW 31.2 million in legal costs from Intercos Korea and a former employee, representing the full amount of civil litigation expenses actually incurred in connection with the case.

The dispute originated when a former Kolmar Korea employee, identified as A, who had worked at the company for approximately 10 years, transferred to Intercos Korea in 2018 and unlawfully removed multiple core research and development materials, including proprietary sunscreen formulation data and new product development information. Investigations later revealed that another former employee, B, who also joined Intercos Korea around the same time, participated in the leakage of trade secrets.

In January 2024, the Supreme Court of Korea finalized guilty verdicts against both former employees. Subsequently, in October 2024, the Suwon District Court ruled that Intercos Korea had violated the Unfair Competition Prevention and Trade Secret Protection Act, imposing a fine of KRW 5 million.

A Kolmar Korea spokesperson commented, “This ruling represents the firm application of our principle that technology leakage must be held accountable to the very end. We will continue to take all necessary measures to protect our core technologies and R&D assets.”

Kolmar Korea is widely recognized for its world-class sun care research and development capabilities. In 2022, the company established a dedicated research organization, the UV Tech Innovation Lab, and currently holds more than 100 patents related to UV protection technologies. Last year, Kolmar Korea developed the world’s first stabilization technology for a hybrid composite sunscreen that combines mineral and chemical UV filters. The company has also been a pioneer in global sun care markets, having become the first company in Korea to obtain U.S. FDA OTC certification for sunscreen products in 2013.

DaVinci Gourmet Named Title Sponsor of The World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops 2026, to Be Unveiled in Madrid

SINGAPORE, Feb. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Global beverage solutions brand DaVinci Gourmet proudly serves as Title Sponsor of The World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops 2026. The prestigious global ranking will be officially unveiled on February 16 during CoffeeFest Madrid, Europe’s leading specialty coffee festival.

The event recognises the most inspiring coffee shops worldwide, evaluated by experts and voted by coffee lovers.
The event recognises the most inspiring coffee shops worldwide, evaluated by experts and voted by coffee lovers.

As Title Sponsor, DaVinci Gourmet, a brand under Kerry Group, places creativity, craftsmanship, and barista-led innovation at the heart of this internationally recognised benchmark, reinforcing its commitment to supporting the global coffee community and celebrating excellence across café culture worldwide.

The 2026 edition reflects a rigorous global evaluation, assessing more than 15,000 coffee shops from around the world. The final ranking follows a robust methodology that combines the expertise of over 800 industry professionals with 350,000 public votes, making it a key reference point for the specialty coffee sector.

“Our partnership with The World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops celebrates creativity, craftsmanship, and passion in the coffee world,” says Eloise Dubuisson, General Manager, Foodservice Brands, Kerry Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa. “As a global beverage solutions brand that champions café culture and the coffee community, DaVinci Gourmet is proud to support an initiative that recognises the most inspiring coffee shops around the world, evaluated by experts and voted by coffee lovers.”

A Global Ranking Reflecting the Rise of Quality Coffee

The 2026 list highlights both emerging and established coffee scenes across the United States, Australia, Colombia, Peru, China, the Philippines, Malaysia, Mexico, Korea, the UAE, Chile, and Spain, underscoring the strength and diversity of a global coffee movement driven by quality, innovation, and cultural exchange.

“This ranking is more than just a list of exceptional coffee shops; it’s a snapshot of the cultural, creative, and professional moment coffee is experiencing around the world,” says César Ramírez, CEO of The World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops with DaVinci Gourmet.

Rigorous Evaluation Process

Selected coffee shops stand out not only for exceptional coffee, but for delivering a distinctive, holistic, and consistently high-quality experience. To ensure a fair, consistent, and representative outcome, the ranking relies on an international jury of professionals from the coffee, gastronomy, and hospitality sectors. The evaluation process combines expert assessment, weighted at 70 percent, and public voting, weighted at 30 percent.

All coffee shops are assessed using uniform global standards covering coffee quality, barista expertise, sustainability, service, ambience, food quality, innovation, and consistency. Regional evaluations are led by respected industry figures across all major coffee regions worldwide.