Jerome Raphanaud Appointed Senior Vice President Europe to Head European Market Development

Hawthorne, Calif. (April 14, 2008) -- Cereplast, Inc., manufacturer of proprietary bio- based, sustainable plastics, officially opened its European headquarters in France today to capitalize on the growing demand for sustainable plastics throughout Europe.  Cereplast’s European operations will be headed by Jerome Raphanaud, who joins the company as senior vice president, Europe.

The office will serve as headquarters for sales representatives and support staff to assist existing customers in developing bioplastic applications, and cultivate new market opportunities in industries such as packaging, automotive and consumer electronics. The facility is located at 41/41 bis avenue de l’Europe, BP 264, 78147 Velizy Cedex, France. To further support sales, Cereplast Europe also opened a distribution center located outside of Amsterdam, The Netherlands this month. Cereplast’s resins are now available to customers in Europe and have received all the necessary administrative certifications including EN13432 where applicable. 

“The demand for Cereplast bioplastic resin products has grown significantly in the U.S. and internationally as a cost-effective and sustainable alternative to traditional petroleum-based plastic products,” said Frederic Scheer, chairman and CEO, Cereplast. “Our expansion into Europe is in response to the growth opportunities we see in this marketplace which has been tremendously receptive to products that help increase sustainability. In addition, the current parity of the Euro versus U.S. dollar will enhance our competitiveness.”

Leading Cereplast Europe, Mr. Raphanaud brings nearly 20 years of experience in the chemical industry. Most recently, Mr. Raphanaud headed strategic planning for the PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) business unit at Arkema France, a global leader in the chemical industry.  Prior to Arkema, Mr. Raphanud was with Shell Chemicals in France. Mr. Raphanaud graduated from Ecole Nationale Superieure de Chimie de Paris (ENSCP) as a senior engineer in chemistry.

“Jerome brings tremendous knowledge of the European chemical and plastics industries to Cereplast after a successful career with two of the world’s largest chemical companies,” said Randy Woelfel, President of Cereplast. “His expertise will be invaluable as we grow Cereplast’s customer base throughout the continent.”    

For more information about Cereplast Europe, contact Jerome Raphanaud at:

Telephone: +33 (0)1 34 63 06 66

Fax : +33 (0)1 34 63 06 99

e-mail : jraphanaud@cereplast.com

Cereplast, Inc. (OTCBB:CERP) designs and manufactures proprietary bio-based, sustainable plastics which are used as substitutes for petroleum-based plastics in all major converting processes – such as injection molding, thermoforming, blow molding and extrusions – at a pricing structure that is competitive with petroleum-based plastics. On the cutting-edge of bio-based plastic material development, Cereplast now offers resins to meet a variety of customer demands. Cereplast Compostables™ resins are ideally suited for single use applications where high bio-based content and compostability are advantageous, especially in the food service industry. Cereplast Hybrid Resins™ products combine the high bio-based content with the durability and endurance of traditional plastic, making them ideal for applications in industries such as automotive, consumer electronics and packaging.  Learn more at www.cereplast.com.