Food and Beverage Packaging September 2012 : Page 24

Cover r Story A toast to these beverage companies and the innovative packages and proﬁ table acquisitions that serve them up to success. by LIZ CUNEO , Editor-in-Chief rom beer to soft drinks, water and cof-fee, this year’s list encompasses all of our favorite drinks. The beverage industry top 50 also spreads across the globe, from Belgium (Anheuser-Busch InBev) to Mexico (Grupo Modelo) and Japan (Kirin Holdings) to Kentucky (Brown-Forman Corp.). But this year’s number one lands in At-F lanta, GA, with The Coca-Cola Company. In 2011 the company raked in $46.50 billion dollars, beating out Anheuser-Busch InBev for the top spot. The number two placement goes to Anheuser-Busch InBev with $39 billion. PepsiCo came in third with $34.28 billion, then Nestlé SA with $25.16 billion and Kirin Holdings Co Ltd. in our ﬁ fth spot with $22.11 billion dollars in revenue. F&BP 24 FOOD & BEVERA GE P A CKA GING SEPTEMBER 2012 WWW . FOOD ANDBEVERA GEP A CKA GING . COM

Top 50 Beverage Packagers

Liz Cuneo

A toast to these beverage companies and the innovative packages and profitable acquisitions that serve them up to success. From beer to soft drinks, water and coffee, this year's list encompasses all of our favorite drinks. The beverage industry top 50 also spreads across the globe, from Belgium (Anheuser-Busch InBev) to Mexico (Grupo Modelo) and Japan (Kirin Holdings) to Kentucky (Brown- Forman Corp.). But this year's number one lands in Atlanta, GA, with The Coca-Cola Company. In 2011 the company raked in $46.50 billion dollars, beating out Anheuser-Busch In Bev for the top spot. The number two placement goes to Anheuser-Busch In Bev with $39 billion. PepsiCo came in third with $34.28 billion, then Nestlé SA with $25.16 billion and Kirin Holdings Co Ltd. In our fifth spot with $22.11 billion dollars in revenue. MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS Sara Lee has acquired Tea Forté, a Massachusetts-based leader in the ultrapremium tea category, for an undisclosed sum. With this acquisition Sara Lee strengthens its expertise and presence in the fast-growing segment of luxury teas. Earlier this year, Sara Lee Corp announced its plans to divide the company into two publicly traded, pureplay entities: one focused on meats in North America and the other focused on the international coffee and tea market, called D.E MASTER BLENDERS 1753. Anheuser-Busch In Bev and Grupo Modelo, S.A.B. de C.V. announce that they have entered into an agreement under which Anheuser-Busch In Bev will acquire the remaining stake in Grupo Modelo that it does not already own for USD $9.15 per share in cash in a transaction valued at USD $20.1 billion. The combined company would lead the global beer industry with 2012 estimated revenues of USD $47 billion. Its operations would span 24 countries with enhanced opportunities for 150,000 employees across the globe. Nestlé Waters North America recently signed an agreement to acquire the Sweet Leaf Tea Company, including its Sweet Leaf and Trade winds beverage brands. The acquisition - which remains subject to regulatory approval and satisfaction of other customary closing conditions - will expand Nestlé Waters' portfolio of bottled water to include high quality iced teas, lemonades and juices. It follows an initial investment by Nestlé Waters in the Sweet Leaf brand in March 2009. The acquisition will bring Nestlé Waters' increased capabilities to the company's operations, allowing it to make Sweet Leaf and Trade winds beverages available to more people across the United States. SAB Miller PLC has acquired Foster's Group Ltd. In late 2011 in a $9.9 billion Australian dollar (US $10.2 billion) takeover. SABMiller, which began at the end of the 19th century in South Africa, has grown through numerous acquisitions including its purchase of Miller Brewing in 2002 in a deal that made it the world's No. 2 brewer. The addition of Foster's broadens SABMiller's focus away from emerging markets and gives it a portfolio of market-leading brands that include Carlton Draught, Cascade and Victoria Bitter, in addition to the globally known Foster's Lager. A LOOK AHEAD Announced in July 2012, Campbell Soup Company has entered into an agreement to acquire Bolt house Farms for $1.55 billion in cash. Founded in 1915, Bolt house is a vertically integrated food and beverage company focused on developing, manufacturing and marketing proprietary, high value-added natural, healthy products. The company has leading market positions in fresh carrots and super-premium beverages in the U.S., along with a growing presence in refrigerated salad dressings. The acquisition of Bolt house will provide Campbell with significant presence and a new platform for expansion in the rapidly growing, $12-billion market for packaged fresh foods. The addition of Bolthouse's market-leading super-premium refrigerated beverages will complement Campbell's successful "V8" beverage business and will create one of the industry's largest healthy beverage platforms, with annual sales of approximately $1.2 billion. Headquartered in Bakersfield, CA, Bolt house Farms has nearly 100 years of farming expertise and innovation. From 2010 through 2012, the company had compound annual net sales growth of 7%. It employs about 2,100 people. 89-OUNCE CONTAINER ALLOWS CONSUMERS THE GIFT OF SIGHT Tropicana, a division of PepsiCo, Inc., introduces an 89-ounce container for its Tropicana Pure Premium 100% pure Florida orange juice. The sleek package offers more convenience, easier handling and pouring, style and recyclability in a family-size pitcher. Plus, the clear container offers an at-a-glance view, so it's easy to see how much juice is left. This container is the first clear-handle design in the chilled juice category that is 100% recyclable. Its sturdy, easy-to-grip handle and easy-to-open flip top are designed to improve the consumer experience. NEW SHAPE GIVES AN OLD FAVORITE MORE FUNCTIONALITY Sunny Delight Beverages Co., partnered with Product Ventures, has redesigned its round bottle, resulting in an easier to pour and store square package. The new design will reduce overall packaging by 9.7 million pounds per year once fully implemented. The new shape is designed to fit in refrigerator doors and features a handle for easy pouring. COCA-COLA MAKES RECYCLING ITS PET CAUSE Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) has made efforts over the years to reduce calories in its beverages. Now, CCE is aiming to reduce its carbon footprint. The company has announced plans to use 25% recycled PET in its plastic bottles by end of the year. To that end, CCE's VP and managing director Simon Baldry has urged the British government to increase the consistency of the U.K.'s recycling collection programs to boost the proportion of PET that is used in new plastic drink bottles. Baldry encouraged the government to implement a common and systematic curbside collection. As part of its efforts to meet its goal of using 25% PET, CCE and plastic bottling recycler ECO Plastics Ltd. Opened Continuum Recycling, a joint recycling venture, during the first half of 2012. CCE has pledged to collect the roughly 20 million clear plastic bottles distributed during the Olympic Games and recycle them into 80 million new clear plastic bottles. GLOBAL BEVERAGE MARKET ON THE RISE By 2017 the global beverage packaging market is projected to reach a value of $118.8 billion, according to a study from Companies and Markets (www.companiesandmarkets.com). Market growth is set to be driven by technological developments, strong growth from developing economies and rising levels of disposable income. In the future, issues such as environmental conditions and changing consumer requirements will drive product innovations, product development and sturdy growth. Beverage packaging is available in a variety of formats including plastic bottles, metal cans, paperboard, cartons and pouches for use in a wide selection of beverages ranging from carbonated soft drinks to beer and milk. Growing environmental concerns are contributing to the development of new packaging formats and materials that use fewer raw materials, function optimally and are easily processed using eco-friendly production equipment. The European market, driven by rising income levels and sustainable growth in rapidly growing Eastern European countries, leads the beverage packaging market in terms of dollar sales. Markets such as Russia, Czech Republic and Slovakia offer maximum scope for growth opportunity and development. Asia is one of the regions with the highest growth potential within the beverage packaging market, and is likely to drive global beverage consumption along with Latin America and Eastern Europe.

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