Coca-Cola HBC Ireland and Northern Ireland have announced an agreement to acquire BDS Vending Solutions.
The proposed acquisition is part of Coca-Cola HBC’s strategy to enhance its route-to-market capabilities.
BDS Vending solutions is a well-established food- and drink-vending services business in Ireland, established over 30 years ago, in 1993.
The service currently has a fleet of approximately 2,000 vending machines across Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Transition
The founders of BDS, David Mullan and Brian Berry, will continue to lead the company through the transition period.
The proposed deal will provide new opportunities for the drinks bottler across its cold- and hot-beverage and snack portfolio.
BDS will also bring proven technology and services, which will help Coca-Cola HBC develop further capabilities across its markets.
‘An Exciting Journey’
Davide Franzetti, general manager, Ireland and Northern Ireland, at Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company, expressed his excitement at the proposed acquisition.
Franzetti said, “BDS will provide us with a joint platform to build capabilities in our route to market, to offer our customers greater choice, and to further enhance our consumer experience.”
David Mullan and Brian Berry also welcomed the announced partnership with Coca-Cola HBC.
Mullan and Berry said, “In line with our commitment to the vending industry over the past 30 years, we feel it’s the right time to have BDS Vending join forces with Coca-Cola HBC.”
They added that this development would allow the company to grow and increase its geographical reach.
They concluded, “We have worked hard on innovation and our vending offering over the past three decades, so bringing this model to the Coca-Cola HBC family will be an exciting journey.”
The proposed transaction is subject to approval by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) in the Republic of Ireland.
The deal is due to be completed over the coming months.
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