Beer and cider in Coca-Cola Amatil’s sights

Beer

You can almost feel Coca-Cola Amatil straining at the leash to get back into the blossoming premium beer and cider markets. On December 16, the company’s restraint agreement with SABMiller (owner of Fosters) expires.

When CCA sold its stake in Pacific Beverages to SAB Miller, it agreed to remain out of the Australia beer and cider markets. But CCA made no secret of its intention to return to the market and announced several major liquor acquisitions following its agreement with SABMiller.

CCA acquired Foster’s Group Pacific Limited (renamed Paradise Beverages (Fiji) Limited, owner of a Fiji brewery; entered into a joint venture with the Casella family to brew beer in Griffith, NSW; and recently won the rights to distribute Rekorderlig cider in Australia from 1 January 2014 (number one brand by value in the off-license market, says CCA).

Copyright © Chris Shanahan 2013
First published 23 January 2013 in The Canberra Times

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