The Coca-Cola Company Completes Acquisition of Costa from Whitbread PLC
Coca-Cola Adds Global Coffee Platform with Potential for Future Growth and Expansion
The Coca-Cola Company today announced that it has completed the acquisition of Costa Limited from Whitbread PLC. The $4.9
billion transaction follows approval from regulatory authorities in the European Union and China.
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The acquisition was first announced on Aug. 31, 2018.
Costa, which has operations in more than 30 countries, gives Coca-Cola a significant footprint in the global coffee business.
Worldwide, the coffee segment is growing 6% annually. Costa has a scalable platform across multiple formats and channels, from the
existing Costa Express vending system to opportunities to introduce ready-to-drink products.
“We see great opportunities for value creation through the combination of Costa’s capabilities and Coca-Cola’s marketing
expertise and global reach,” said James Quincey, CEO of The Coca-Cola Company. “Our vision is to use the strong Costa platform to
expand our portfolio in the growing coffee category.”
“We wish our friends and colleagues at Costa all the very best for their future success,” said Alison Brittain, Whitbread Chief
Executive. “Whitbread acquired Costa 23 years ago, when it had only 39 shops. Costa has grown to become a leading, international
coffee brand, and Coca-Cola is the right partner to take Costa to the next stage of expansion.”
For more information, see the original announcements about the transactions:
About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is a total beverage company, offering over 500 brands in more than 200 countries and
territories. In addition to the company’s Coca-Cola brands, our portfolio includes some of the world’s most valuable beverage
brands, such as AdeS soy-based beverages, Ayataka green tea, Costa coffee, Dasani waters, Del Valle juices and nectars, Fanta,
Georgia coffee, Gold Peak teas and coffees, Honest Tea, innocent smoothies and juices, Minute Maid juices, Powerade sports drinks,
Simply juices, smartwater, Sprite, vitaminwater and ZICO coconut water. We’re constantly transforming our portfolio, from reducing
sugar in our drinks to bringing innovative new products to market. We’re also working to reduce our environmental impact by
replenishing water and promoting recycling. With our bottling partners, we employ more than 700,000 people, helping bring economic
opportunity to local communities worldwide. Learn more at Coca-Cola Journey at
www.coca-colacompany.com and follow us on
Twitter,
Instagram,
Facebook and
LinkedIn.
The fairlife® brand is owned by fairlife LLC, our joint venture with Select Milk Producers Inc. Products from fairlife are
distributed by our company and certain of our bottling partners.
About Whitbread PLC
Whitbread PLC is the owner of the UK’s favourite hotel chain, Premier Inn, as well as restaurant brands, Beefeater, Brewers
Fayre, Table Table and Bar + Block.
Whitbread employs over 35,000 people in over 1,200 Premier Inn hotels and restaurants across the UK, serving over five million
customers every month. Premier Inn currently operates one hotel in Frankfurt with plans to grow the brand to over 30 hotels in
Germany by 2020/21.
At Whitbread we are committed to being a force for good in the communities in which we operate. Our Sustainability programme,
‘Force for Good’ is focused on enabling people to live and work well and is built around three pillars of Opportunity, Community
and Responsibility.
In the year ended 2 March 2018, Whitbread PLC reported an 6.1% increase in Group Revenue to £3.3 billion and Underlying Profit
before tax of £591 million up 4.5%*.
Whitbread PLC is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100. It is also a member of the FTSE4Good
Index.
*these figures include revenue and profits from the previously held Costa business
Coca-Cola
- Media: Scott Leith, +1 404.676.8768
- Investors and Analysts: Tim Leveridge, +1 404.676.7563
Costa
- Media: Esme Knight, +44 (0) 7885 822 964
Whitbread
- Media: Anna Glover, +44 (0) 7768 917 651
- Investors and Analysts: Matt Johnson, +44 (0) 7848 146 761
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190103005331/en/