Suntory Holdings Limited (Head office: Osaka; President: Nobutada Saji) confirms that it has made a binding offer to funds advised by Lion Capital LLP ("Lion Capital") and The Blackstone Group International ("Blackstone") to acquire the Orangina Schweppes Group ("Orangina Schweppes"). Suntory understands that Orangina Schweppes is now undertaking communication and consultation with relevant employee representatives in relation to its offer, and expects Lion Capital and Blackstone to take a decision in response to its offer once the necessary social, legal and regulatory steps will have been completed.
Orangina Schweppes is a leading and growing player in the European soft drinks market, having the heart of its business in France, Spain and Portugal. The company markets, bottles and distributes a number of carbonated soft drinks, stills and other soft drinks through a comprehensive portfolio of leading products that includes iconic brands such as Orangina, Schweppes, Oasis and Trina.
Suntory has already developed its alcoholic beverages business in Europe through the acquisition of notable European distilleries and wineries, such as Château Lagrange, a Grand Cru Bordeaux, Louis Royer, one of France's most prestigious cognac distilleries, and Morrison Bowmore, a Scottish whiskey distiller.
The proposed acquisition of Orangina Schweppes is expected to provide Suntory with a solid platform in Europe in the soft drinks business, and would be a further step in Suntory's global expansion strategy. It aims to maximize synergies with Suntory's existing non-alcoholic beverage and food businesses Frucor Group in Australasia, Cerebos Pacific in South East Asia, Tipco F&B, a JV in Thailand and the strong domestic platform in Japan.
| Company Name | Orangina Schweppes Group |
|---|---|
| Head Office | Paris, France |
| CEO | Luis Bach |
| Number of Employees | Approximately 2,500 |
| Business | Manufacture and sale of non-alcoholic beverages |
| Main Products | Orangina (fruit carbonate), Schweppes (tonic/fruit carbonate), Oasis (still drink), Trina (still drink) |
| Sales | 138billion yen (2008)*1 EUR$=135 yen |
