Niagara Bottling has bought the branded and private-label bottled water business of First Quality Water & Beverage.
It includes the Pureau brand of electrolyte-enhanced purified water, which is sourced from Bald Eagle Creek in central Pennsylvania.
The deal includes a manufacturing operation in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, which First Quality said was ‘strategically located’ in order to take advantage of the market growth as a regional supplier.
In a statement, the New York-based company added: “As the business and industry dynamics have changed since 2008, the future of this asset and its customers will be better served being part of a strategic owner with a national footprint.”
California-based Niagara operates bottling facilities throughout the US and Mexico, working with some of the region’s largest retailers and grocers to bring its products – among them bottled water, tea and sports drinks – to consumers.
Andy Peykoff II, Niagra Bottling’s president and CEO, added: “This acquisition gives us a greater presence in the northeast and is another exciting chapter in Niagara’s history. We’ve always considered First Quality a strong competitor with an excellent product offering.
“Similar to Niagara, they focus their efforts on their customers, their employees and the communities they serve. With Niagara acquiring the water and business segment and integrating the customers and lines into our network, their customers will continue to receive great quality and service from another family business.”
All First Quality Water & Beverage employees will be offered the opportunity to continue their careers at other First Quality Group companies, including at an existing tissue manufacturing operation on the same Lock Haven site where First Quality Water & Beverage is currently located.
As well as food and drink, the First Quality Group has activities in personal care, packaging and household products with brands like Cuties diapers, Panda toilet tissue and Plenty kitchen tissue.
The deal comes as larger European consumer goods companies – like Reckitt Benckiser and Unilever – divest all or part of their remaining food businesses.
And it has been rumoured that Kraft Heinz, which flirted with the idea of buying Unilever, could radically diversify its business with the addition of Colgate-Palmolive.
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