Scottish & Newcastle considers soft drinks
Scottish & Newcastle UK managing director John Dunsmore has indicated that the company may expand its portfolio to produce soft drinks in the UK.
With sales down 6.7% in Q3 last year the brewing giant, which controls some 28% of the UK beer market, is considering alternative strategies. Dunsmore is reported as saying, “our reason for being is not wedded to the hop. We would not rule out non-alcoholic development.†S&N currently distributes a range of soft drinks to the on-trade, and produces non-alcoholic beers in Russia, France and Portugal.
In other news the Edinburgh-based company is expected to bolster its position in China, investing a further £100m in the Chongqing Brewery Company (CBC). The deal will give S&N a 20% stake in China’s sixth largest brewer, which commands a 5% market share. Analysts expect the deal to be finalised in the first half of the year.
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© db 3 January 2007
