Refresco to purchase German beverage company Hansa-Heemann

Refresco has entered into an agreement to acquire Hansa-Heemann, a German mineral water and carbonated soft drinks (CSD) company.

The deal forms part of Refresco’s buy-and-build strategy and further enhances its position in terms of product and brand portfolio and geographical coverage.

Headquartered in Rellingen, Hansa-Heemann is an independent beverage manufacturer that specialises in the production and bottling of mineral water and CSDs.

The independent bottler has five production sites across Germany and serves three different market segments: private label, own brands and contract manufacturing for A-brands. Hansa-Heemann reportedly has annual revenues of approximately €300 million and employs over 800 people.

With the acquisition, Refresco will expand its offering in water and CSDs with brands such as Fūrst Bismarck, Hella and St. Michaelis. Upon completion, Refresco will enhance its presence in Germany, thus improving its transport efficiencies and reducing CO2 emissions.  

“We are very much looking forward to welcoming Hansa-Heemann to Refresco. Our companies are a great fit and Hansa-Heemann’s expertise and capabilities will allow us to further improve our operational excellence,” said Hans Roelofs, CEO of Refresco Group. 

“In addition, this acquisition will further diversify our business and product offering, which will benefit our customers. Refresco Germany and Hansa-Heemann are highly complementary and through this acquisition, we will be able to offer nationwide coverage to German retailers.”

Hansa-Heemann chairman, Wolff Lange, added: “It is a promising opportunity for our family business to join Refresco as it will enable the Hansa-Heemann team to apply their knowledge and expertise with more impact, at a much bigger scale. Our combined capabilities will accelerate our ambitions and further enhance our offering to customers.”

The transaction was made for an undisclosed sum and is subject to regulatory approval.

In 2019, Refresco acquired Arizona Production & Packaging (AZPACK), a US-based packaging manufacturer.