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From:sharex_rejects@sharex.com
To:alewis@ect.enron.com
Subject:Meridian USA Holdings
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Date:Thu, 31 May 2001 16:18:37 -0700 (PDT)

STOCK iQ NEWS ALERT
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MERIDIAN USA HOLDINGS

OTC BB:SYMBOL:MUSD

LAST SALE PRICE: $1.50
52 WEEK HIGH: $3.50
52 WEEK LOW: $0.51

SHARES OUTSTANDING: 6.38 MILLION
PUBLIC FLOAT: 3.60 MILLION
MARKET CAPITALIZATION: $10.20 MILLION

PER SHARE DATA FISCAL QUARTER ENDED MARCH 31, 2001
CASH IN BANK AND MARKETABLE SECURITIES: $0.66
DISTRIBUTED NET LOSS: (0.32)

* FORMER PRESIDENT OF YOO-HOO HIRED

* MERIDIAN SPORT DRINK TAKES AIM AT $2.3 BILLION MARKET

* LICENSING OF SWEET'N LOW BRAND NAME FOR SYRUP LINE

* MARKETING PLAN SIMILAR TO SUCCESSFUL TEA DRINK
_____________________________________________________________

MUSD (Meridian USA Holdings, Inc.) through its subsidiaries markets sugar =
free syrups under the brand name SWEET 'N LOW which was licensed from Cumbe=
rland Packing Corp and a sugar free sport drink called ChampionLyte.

In 1998, the market for the Sport Drink (electrolyte replacement) also call=
ed refresher drink constituted a market of $2.3 billion and was growing rap=
idly. The average annual consumption per capita in the United States is 2.0=
gallons.

Although existing products in this market provide electrolyte replacement, =
they also contain high levels of calories and carbohydrates.The competition=
in the marketplace are Gatorade and Powerade, who between them have an ap=
proximate 95% market share. Traditionally, when a sugar free product goes i=
nto the market, it captures six to seven percent of the particular market s=
hare, although Diet Coke has 28 percent of the market share of Coca Cola.

If the company could effect a one percent penetration of the market for spo=
rt drinks, they could have two dollar per share earnings with the resultan=
t effect on the stock price.

What follows are pertinent excerpts from the company's recent SEC filings:

ChampionLyte(TM) Refresher Drinks.
As it is with syrups, there have been no sugar-free products within the iso=
tonic refresher drink category. This category, whose most well known produc=
ts are Gatorade(R) and Powerade(R) refresher drinks, constituted a market o=
f nearly $2.3 billion in 1998, with average per capita annual consumption i=
n the U.S. of 2.0 gallons. (Beverage World, 1999).

First, diabetics and those with medically restricted sugar intakes had no a=
vailable refresher drink on the market. This group represents a sizable seg=
ment of the U.S. population.

Second, it is believed that persons attempting to lose weight through exerc=
ise are often reluctant to consume a drink like Gatorade(R) containing hund=
reds of calories right after strenuous exercising to "burn-off" those calor=
ies.

Their marketing efforts to introduce ChampionLyte have involved ad placemen=
ts in industry trade publications, radio ads, food show and beverage show a=
ppearances and establishment of a network of brokers to sell the products o=
n behalf of the Company.

In October 2000, they entered into a sponsorship and endorsement agreement =
with Jay Fiedler, the starting quarterback for the Miami Dolphins of the N.=
F.L., under which Mr. Fiedler has agreed to provide various promotional ser=
vices in connection with ChampionLyte.

In January 2001, they entered into a similar agreement with the world-ranke=
d and former world middleweight boxing champion, Dangerous Dana Rosenblatt.

ChampionLyte has also qualified for sponsorship by the Diabetes Research In=
stitute sponsorship and each bottle contains that organization's seal of a=
pproval.

Americans spend $33 billion on weight-loss programs and products annually (=
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, 2000). Th=
eir products are aimed directly at this market.

The enormous success of products such as Diet Coke(R), SnackWell's(R) cooki=
es and numerous sugar-free ice cream, candy and other products have demonst=
rated the existence of a substantial market for sugar-free/reduced calorie =
food products.

In November 1998, they succeeded in obtaining an exclusive license for the =
trademark Sweet'N Low for use on chocolate syrups. Sweet'N Low is the trade=
mark under which the world's most popular sugar substitute is sold, most re=
cognizably in the small, pink packets.

In January 1999, they made their first shipments of Sweet'N Low brand choco=
late syrup. By the end of 1999, they had expanded their customer base to mo=
re than 150 customers and the products are currently available in over 16,0=
00 food outlets in the U.S.

In June 1999, we entered into an agreement with Francis Anthony, the "Love =
Chef" of television and magazine fame, under which Mr. Anthony agreed to de=
velop recipes for the Syrup Company and represent the product to the public=
. Meridian believes that Mr. Anthony's involvement has and will continue to=
increase the visibility of the Syrup Company's products.

Also in 1999, they obtained the right to market the Syrup as an approved pr=
oduct of the Diabetes Research Institute, a national diabetes research cent=
er located at the University of Miami. This approval required their product=
to pass a strenuous qualification procedure at the Institute to establish =
our worthiness to use the Institute's name on our products.

Management believes that the quality of their products, their appeal to hea=
lth-conscious and sugar-restricted consumers, the fame and reputation of th=
e Sweet'N Low trademark for our syrups and our network of food brokers shou=
ld enable us to continue to penetrate the retail food market.

The primary consumers at whom they are directing their marketing efforts ar=
e people suffering from diabetes and others with sugar restricted diets. Ac=
cording to the American Diabetes Association, there are approximately 16,00=
0,000 Americans suffering from diabetes, plus another five to ten million A=
mericans who are required to maintain a strict diet regimen for various med=
ical conditions.

In addition, millions more Americans restrict their sugar consumption in an=
effort to reduce their calorie intake. All of these people form a natural =
market for our products. Americans spend $33 billion on weight-loss program=
s and products annually (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and K=
idney Diseases, 2000). Our products are aimed directly at this market.

The enormous success of products such as Diet Coke(R), SnackWell's(R) cooki=
es and numerous sugar-free ice cream, candy and other products have demonst=
rated the existence of a substantial market for sugar-free/reduced calorie =
food products. Public and industry acceptance have been positive to date.

On January 8, 2001, US Bancorp converted its $8,000,000 convertible note al=
ong with accrued interest of $229,727 into 8,230 shares of the Company's Se=
ries II Convertible Preferred Stock.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Meridian's net sales revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2001 wer=
e$239,038, as compared to $408,572 in the comparable period of 2000.

Selling, general and administrative expenses increased from $441,521 in the=
first quarter of 2000 to $2,108,644 in the first quarter of 2001. The ma=
jor element of that increase was non cash interest and amortization costs o=
f $898,605 for the three months ended March 31, 2001, associated with the c=
onversion of the U.S. Bancorp note into shares of the Company's Series II C=
onvertible Preferred Stock in January 2001.

The remaining increases in expenses were primarily related to an increase i=
n advertising and media expenses from approximately$92,000 for the three mo=
nths ended March 31, 2000 to approximately $586,000 in the comparable 200=
1 period to support the Company's product lines, particularly the introduc=
tion of the Company's ChampionLyte (TM)

Meridian had a net loss available to common shareholders of $2,051,145 ($0=
.32 per share) during the three months ended March 31, 2001, as compared to=
a net loss available to common shareholders of $267,325 ($0.04 per share) =
during the comparable prior period.

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
Meridian's available cash and marketable securities at March 31, 2001 were =
approximately $4,187,000, as compared to approximately $203,000 at March 31=
,2000. The increase in primarily attributable to the proceeds of Meridian's=
issuance of its Series A Convertible Note to U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc=
. in June 2000.

As a result of the U.S Bancorp financing, management believes that is has s=
ufficient working capital to carry out its business plan for the operation =
and expansion of its syrup business and for the introduction and grow=
th of its sports refresher drink for at least the next 12 months. In addi=
tion, Meridian believes that operations will increasingly contribute to ca=
sh flow during the same period.

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