MWV Food Packaging Vice President Andy Luke to Present Findings at Show

Richmond, Virginia (March 11, 2010)—MeadWestvaco Corp. (NYSE: MWV) announced today that the company will share new consumer and market insights at the International Boston Seafood Show, March 14-16. These new research findings will be presented by Andy Luke, vice president of business development, MWV Food Packaging. MWV will also be showcasing high quality, moisture-resistant paperboard packaging solutions, such as Printkote® HMR, a solid bleached sulfate paperboard designed to endure multiple freeze-thaw cycles throughout the cold chain.

In the past year MWV commissioned a number of studies to determine both qualitative and quantitative data about consumer preferences and perceptions while shopping in the frozen foods aisle. MWV also completed research that compares how various packaging materials withstand damage due to rigors of shelving, transport and moisture on frozen food shelves in retail.

“Understanding how the consumer views and interacts with packaging in the frozen foods aisle creates better, more informed packaging decisions, which, in turn, leads to better brand management for our customers,” said Mr. Luke. “We invest in this type of consumer research to help our customers make smarter choices. In a category as competitive as frozen seafood, packaging can make the difference in helping consumers connect with what they view to be a high quality product.”

Ethnographic research, conducted by researchers who accompanied consumers as they shopped, showed that shoppers associate frozen seafood with higher quality meals relative to other frozen offerings. As such, they expect packaging that communicates top quality. A separate study showed that products in better looking packaging made from higher quality paperboard substrates are more likely to end up in a shopping cart, and that consumers are even willing to pay more for these products.

MWV also studied what types of packaging materials hold up best on freezer shelves. Researchers walked the frozen food aisles of 100 grocery stores in the Gulf Coast and inspected more than 28,000 frozen food packages. They found that Custom Kote® paperboard, which is tear, puncture and moisture-resistant, had the least incidence of damage on freezer shelves, compared to packaging made with other materials. They also found that packages that were crushed, damaged or opened were more likely to be left on the shelf – even if the product inside was intact.

MWV offers a full range of paperboards for primary and secondary frozen seafood packaging, and specializes in working with frozen food customers to create customized solutions that fit their needs. All MWV paperboards are compliant with a full range of rigorous, global food contact and safety standards including USFDA, ISEGA, CONEG, ASTM and RoHS, and all U.S.-made MWV paperboards are made under Sustainable Forestry Initiative and PEFC Chain of Custody and Fiber Sourcing standards.

MWV will be located at booth #1468 at the International Boston Seafood Show. More information on MWV’s frozen food packaging can be found at http://www.mwv.com/seafood.

Media Contact	Investor Relations
Kirby Kriz tel: +1 804-444-2719 mediainquiries@mwv.com	Jason Thompson tel: +1 804-444-2556

About MWV

MeadWestvaco Corporation (NYSE: MWV), provides packaging solutions to many of the world’s most-admired brands in the healthcare, beauty and personal care, food, beverage, media and entertainment, home and garden, tobacco, and commercial print industries. The company's businesses also include Consumer & Office Products, Specialty Chemicals, and the Community Development and Land Management Group, which sustainably manages the company’s land holdings to support its operations, and to provide for conservation, recreation and development opportunities. With 20,000 employees worldwide, MWV operates in 30 countries and serves customers in more than 100 nations. MWV manages all of its forestlands in accordance with internationally recognized forest certification standards, and has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for the sixth consecutive year. For more information, please visit www.mwv.com.

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