AIRPORT CITY, Israel, Feb. 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- SodaStream International Ltd. (NASDAQ: SODA), the leading manufacturer and distributor of home carbonation beverage systems, was named as one of the World's 50 Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company in the magazine's March 2013 issue.

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''We are honored to be recognized by Fast Company as one the World's Most Innovative Companies in 2013," said Daniel Birnbaum, CEO of SodaStream.  "We empower consumers around the world to change the way they consume carbonated beverages, offering a more convenient, better-for-you, eco-friendly alternative to "Big Soda" and the disposable plastic they create. We understand that innovation never ends and we see this honor as an inspiration to continue moving our mission forward."

Fast Company cited SodaStream as one of the World's Most Innovative Companies for "making DIY carbonation sexy." Other contributing factors for the honor include SodaStream innovations in soda flavors and its broad range of products such as The Source, a soda maker designed by renowned consumer product and industrial designer Yves Behar.

"The Source was created with the understanding that world-class aesthetics are a prerequisite to securing space on the countertop. It combines a sleek, clean design with best-in-class engineering," said Yaron Kopel, SodaStream Chief Innovation & Design Officer. "With a patented 'Snap-and Lock' bottle mechanism for easier connection and release, as well as clear LED feedback for carbonation levels, SodaStream Source creates a beautiful, functional and eco-friendly 21st Century appliance."

Fast Company also honored businesses such as Apple, Amazon, Google and Nike, alongside rising newcomers such as Square, Fab and Tumblr, and international stars such as Kenya's Safaricom, Russia's Oktogo and China's Landwasher.  Fast Company also recognizes Top-10 companies in certain countries, and for Israel SodaStream was rated #1, with Waze and Better Place among those rounding out the field.

In their words, The World's Most Innovative Companies is Fast Company's most high-profile editorial effort of the year. The editorial team spends months gathering and sifting data to identify those enterprises that exemplify the best in business from across the economy and around the world. The end result is a package that dares to be different, emphasizing not just revenue growth and profit margins but also progressive business models and an ethos of creativity.

Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies issue hits newsstands today and is available online at www.fastcompany.com/MIC and in app form via iTunes.  

Media Contacts: 
SodaStream
Yonah Lloyd
Chief Corporate Development and Communications Officer
yonahl@sodastream.com
+972-3-976-2462

Jodi Bragg, HL Group
jbragg@hlgrp.com; 646-460-8908

Fast Company
Cole Wilson, Director of Editorial Relations
cwilson@fastcompany.com  

About SodaStream

SodaStream manufactures beverage carbonation systems which enable consumers to easily transform ordinary tap water instantly into carbonated soft drinks and sparkling water. Soda makers offer a highly differentiated and innovative solution to consumers of bottled and canned carbonated soft drinks and sparkling water. Our products are environmentally friendly, cost effective, promote health and wellness, and are customizable and fun to use. In addition, our products offer convenience by eliminating the need to carry bottles home from the supermarket, to store bottles at home or to regularly dispose of empty bottles. Our products are available at more than 60,000 retail stores in 45 countries around the world.  For more information on SodaStream, please visit the Company's website: www.sodastream.com.  SodaStream's investor relations app, which offers access to SEC documents, press releases, videos, audiocasts and more, may be downloaded on itunes for iPhone/iPad or Google for Android mobile devices.

About Fast Company

Fast Company is the world's leading progressive business-media brand, with a unique editorial focus on innovation in technology, ethonomics (ethical economics), leadership, and design. In print and through digital and social channels, as well as live events, Fast Company reports on and addresses the most progressive business leaders. Editor Robert Safian was named AdWeek's Editor of the Year in 2009. Under the leadership of publisher Christine Osekoski, Fast Company made AdWeek's Hot List for three consecutive years, and FastCompany.com executive editor Noah Robischon has tripled traffic and revenue. Fast Company is owned by Joe Mansueto, founder, chairman, and CEO of Morningstar, a leading provider of independent investment research.  

This release contains forward-looking statements, which express the current beliefs and expectations of management. Such statements are based on management's current beliefs and expectations and involve a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause our future results, performance or achievements to differ significantly from the results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include risks relating to: our ability to expand into our target markets, including the United States; our ability to continue to develop or maintain our presence in retail networks; our ability to develop and implement production and operating infrastructure to effectively support our growth; the success of our marketing campaigns and media spending in terms of increased sales or increased product and brand name awareness; our ability to maintain our customer base in markets where we have an established presence; the risks associated with our reliance on exclusive arrangements for the distribution of our beverage carbonation systems and consumables in each of the markets in which we use third-party distributors; our ability to compete effectively with other companies which currently offer, or may offer in the future, competing products; potential product liability claims if any component of our beverage carbonation systems is misused; our ability to protect our intellectual property rights; our being found to have a dominant position in certain markets which may place limits on our ability to operate; risks associated with our being a multinational corporation, including fluctuations in currency exchange rates; our potential exposure to greater than anticipated tax liabilities; our products being subject to extensive governmental regulation in the markets in which we operate; adverse conditions in the global economy which could negatively impact our customers' demand for our products; and other factors detailed in documents we file from time to time with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.  Forward-looking statements in this release are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

SOURCE SodaStream International Ltd.