Britvic plc (LSE: BVIC) is a British producer of soft drinks. They are the number two soft drinks producer (by volume and retail sales value) in the UK. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index. It is headquartered in the Britvic House in Chelmsford, Essex, England.[1]
[edit] History
The Company was founded in the mid-nineteenth century in Chelmsford as the British Vitamin Products Company.[2] It started producing fruit juices in 1938 and started marketing them under the Britvic name in 1949.[2] The Company changed its name to Britvic in 1971. In 1986 it merged with Canada Dry Rawlings so acquiring the R. White's Lemonade brand.[2] It acquired Tango from Beechams in 1987 and since that year it has also owned the UK franchise for Pepsi and 7 Up.[2] In 1995 it bought Robinson's from Reckitt & Colman and in 1998 went on to launch J2O.
In December 2005 the Company underwent an initial public offering (IPO) allowing its main shareholders (InterContinental Hotels Group, Whitbread, Pernod Ricard) to realise their investments.[3]
In May 2007 the Company went on to buy the soft drinks and distribution businesses of Ireland's Cantrell & Cochrane (C&C) for £169.5m.[4]
[edit] Operations
Britvic House, the Britvic headquarters in Chelmsford
Although most of its operations are concentrated in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, the Company's international arm is expanding and it now exports to over 50 countries.
[edit] United Kingdom
The Company owns a number of leading brands in the UK including Britvic itself, R. White's Lemonade, Tango, Pepsi, 7 Up, Robinson's and J2O. In 2008 Britvic launched Gatorade in the UK after securing the rights to do so from PepsiCo.
[edit] Ireland
The Company owns a number of leading brands in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, including, Ballygowan water, Britvic, Cidona, MiWadi, and Energise Sport as well as the rights to Pepsi and 7 Up brands in the territory through its bottling agreements with PepsiCo.
[edit] Former brands
[edit] References
[edit] External links
