Coca-Cola HBC is set to purchase Irish vending machine firm BDS Vending Solutions following approval from the State’s competition watchdog, the Irish Times has reported.
The bottler and the vending machine firm agreed to the purchase deal in February 2024, pending approval from the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC).
Last September, the CCPC sought to launch a so-called phase two investigation into the transaction to ensure that the deal would not impact competition in the Republic of Ireland.
However, both Coca-Cola HBC and BDS managed to appease the CCPC and the deal is to go ahead, although they have not released the financial details of the agreement.
Speaking about the approval, the CCPC said, “Significant additional information was provided by both parties during the course of the investigation, such that the CCPC is satisfied that the deal can proceed.”
US beverage giant Coca-Cola owns 20% of the Switzerland-based Coca-Cola HBC.
It mainly bottles drinks, but it also provides full-service vending solutions to customers, including the installation, operation and servicing of vending machines.
BDS Vending Solutions is a well-established food- and drink-vending services business in Ireland, which founders David Mullan and Brian Berry established in 1993.
When the proposed deal was announced last year, 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.
“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.”
Coca-Cola HBC is due to report its full-year results on Thursday.
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