Farcountries.com Launches B-to-B Site in Toronto for Canadian Retailers and SUppliers.

New York, NY, July 20, 2000 - New York-based Company of the Far Countries, Ltd., a new Internet wholesale buying resource for the gift industry (www.farcountries.com) announced today that they have launched FarCountries.com to Canadian retailers.

They have also signed Axicon World Imports, Inc. headquartered in Vancouver B.C. as a sUpplier to their global Web site. To celebrate these events, FarCountries.com will host an International Food and Wine Tasting for giftware retailers at the Toronto Airport Marriott Hotel on Tuesday, August 15, from 6:30 to 8:30 PM.

Through FarCountries.com, retailers in Canada will be able to source products from multiple sUppliers in many countries at competitive wholesale prices in a single Far Countries transaction. Canadian SUppliers of all sizes will gain the benefit of worldwide new product introductions and expanded product distribution. According to Geoffrey Gudewill, president of Axicon World Imports, Inc., "We see this as an excellent opportunity to reach more customers and improve customer service. The benefit of being part of FarCountries.com is that it is very cost effective. There is no charge for us to be represented on the site, and now we'll be able to introduce new product lines to retail buyers at a faster rate."

FarCountries.com
FarCountries.com is inspired by the world's first trading company - Company of the Far Countries, established in Amsterdam in 1594. As those merchant traders did for their era, FarCountries is reinventing the international trading company for the 21^st  century, connecting sUppliers and retailers worldwide, adding the enormous potential of the Internet to business-to-business transactions.

FarCountries.com will offer distinctive gift products from sUppliers in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and the Americas. FarCountries.com offers a complete end-to-end internet trading resource, providing services to both manufacturers and retailers, including broad product selection from worldwide sUppliers; multiple manufacturer product sourcing in a single transaction; competitive global prices; and extensive sUpport in marketing, shipping, export/import issues, financial transaction processing, and customer service.

Retailers and manufacturers are invited to visit www.farcountries.com or call toll free 888-870-4566 for more information on becoming part of the FarCountries e-commerce network.

Axicon World Imports, Inc.
Axicon World Imports, Inc. is a leading North American importer and wholesaler distributor of novelty giftware. The product mix includes candles and candleholders, fashion jewelry, social stationary, picture frames and seasonal merchandise. Privately-owned for more than 20 years, the company maintains warehouse/distribution centers in Canada and the United States and participates in all major North American trade shows. With 25 employees answering the needs of approximately 4,000 retail customers throughout North America, Axicon is actively looking for new product lines in both jewelry and giftware to provide the best and widest selection of merchandise for its customers.

For more information please contact:
Jim Waechter at (212) 255-6550 ext. 19
j.waechter@farcountries.com
or
Alison Blume at (212) 255-6550 ext. 25
a.blume@farcountries.com.

800-465-5587