Opinion
34 acquisitions in July/August
The pace of food and drink company acquisitions continued unabated over the summer months.
Out of 34 more recorded in July and August, 10 were in soft drinks, five in beer, five in wine and spirits, three in ingredients and three in packaging.
23 countries were involved, led by the US and the UK, with other important contributions from France, Russia, China and Japan.16 of the transactions were across borders, 18 within single countries. Anheuser-Busch InBev and Rio Tinto both made two divestments.
The biggest deal was PepsiCo’s $7.8bn agreement to buy out its two leading bottlers. Rio Tinto’s sales added up to $3.2bn.
July 2009
- Packaging – US Ball Corporation to buy four beverage can plants from Anheuser-Busch InBev for $577m.
- Soft drinks – US Sunny Delight owner Beverage Holdings buys Bossa Nova from JW Childs private equity firm and Coca-Cola.
- Dairy – China’s Cofco and Hopu private equity fund to buy 20% of Mengniu for $790m.
- Packaging – Bemis of US to acquire Food Americas operations of Alcan Packaging from Anglo-Australian Rio Tinto for $1.2bn.
- Beer – Affinity Equity Partners to buy 50% of South Korea’s Oriental Brewery from Kohlberg Kravis Roberts private equity firm of $400m.
- Dairy – Nutritek from Russia buys New Zealand Dairies.
- Equipment – Tetra Pak from Sweden acquires mixer assets from Scanima of Denmark.
- Juice – New Zealand’s Frucor to buy Simply Squeezed.
- Food – UK Key Capital Partners leads management buyout of TSC Foods – £24m.
- Food – UK Heather Mills buys Redwood Wholefood.
- Wine – UK Global Vintners buys Ehrmanns importer.
- Equipment – US SigmaBleyzer private equity firm buys Jus-Made drink mix maker.
- Spirits – Illva Saronno from Italy buys Tia Maria liqueur brand from Pernod Ricard of France for €125m.
- Soft drinks – Japan’s Suntory to buy soft drinks division of Nichirei (¥5.5bn sales).
- Beer – China’s Tsingtao Brewery to buy Baotuquan from Tsingtao Group (¥9m).
- Hot drinks – Arab Investments buys UK-based Coffee Republic coffee shop chain.
- Bottled water – Austria’s Vöslauer merges with brewer Ottakringer.
August 2009
- Ingredients – US Nutra to buy Nutritional Specialties assets from Baywood for $8m.
- Vodka – Central European Distribution Corporation from Poland buys additional 6% of Russian Alcohol Group for $30m.
- Fruit – Dole from US to sell certain operations in Latin America for $68m.
- Ingredients – Natraceutical from Spain to merge with Naturex of France (€200m sales).
- Soft drinks – US PepsiCo to buy remaining shares in Pepsi Bottling Group and PepsiAmericas for $7.8bn.
- Soft drinks – Coca-Cola from US buys back plant in Philippines for $100m.
- Wine – Boisset Family Estates from France buys Raymond Vineyard & Cellar in US.
- Beer – Cerveceria Nacional Dominicana to buy Caribbean breweries from Royal Unibrew of Denmark for $31m.
- Soft drinks – Japan’s Sapporo to buy 22% stake in Pokka from Advantage investment fund ($105m).
- Soft drinks – PepsiCo from US to buy Amacoco in Brazil.
- Beer – Efes from Turkey to buy remaining 7% stake in Krasny Vostok of Russia from Tradex for $30m.
- Soft drinks – US Full Motion buys Mojito.
- Wine – France’s LVMH buys 50% stake in Château Cheval Blanc and La Tour du Pin.
- Packaging – Amcor of Australia to buy Alcan packaging assets from Anglo-Australian Rio Tinto for $2.0bn.
- Soft drinks – US AMI Brands buys Embodi.
- Ingredients – UK Brenntag buys packed glucose syrup business from Cargill.
- Beer – C&C from Ireland buys Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland businesses from Anheuser-Busch InBev of Belgium for £180m.
About the author
Richard Hall is chairman of Zenith International.
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