Netherlands-based Refresco Group is acquiring Spumador, the largest producer of private label carbonated soft drinks and mineral water in Italy from private equity firm Trilantic Capital Partners for an undisclosed sum. Refresco is the market leader in the production of private label soft drinks and fruit juices in Europe.

Spumador is a major producer for the Italian retail market with five production locations in Northern Italy. In addition to private label carbonated soft drinks and mineral water, Spumador also manufactures ready-to-drink (RTD) iced teas, sport drinks and fruit juices and owns a number of trademarks, including San Antonio, Valverde and San Attiva.

In 2009, the company generated Eur170m in revenue, an increase of 7% compared to 2008, and produced a total of 958m litres, up more than 9% over the previous year.

The acquisition of Spumador is Refresco’s second substantial acquisition within a year. It follows the acquisition of Soft Drinks International (SDI), a German producer of soft drinks and mineral water with revenues of Eur140m in September 2010. The acquisition of Spumador is in line with Refresco’s ‘buy and build’ strategy, which is geared towards further strengthening and expanding Refresco’s leading position in Europe in the area of soft drinks and fruit juices. This is Refresco’s first move into the Italian market and marks another step towards the consolidation of the fragmented European market for private label soft drinks and fruit juices.

“With the acquisition of Spumador, we will create a very sizeable position in an attractive new region. It is our first step into the growing Italian private label market, where growth of 6% is predicted in the soft drink market segment for the coming years,” points out Hans Roelofs, chief executive of Refresco. The transaction is expected to be completed within a few months.

The Commission has adopted a proposal to amend the Fruit Juice Directive, including a move to ban the addition of sugar to fruit juices – in line with the Commission policy of reducing added sugars in products and promoting balanced diet.

The addition of sugar would be allowed only for nectars and some very specific products covered by the Directive, but the product labelling must make such addition clear. Another proposed adjustment is to include tomatoes in the list of fruits used for fruit juice production.

Most of the proposed changes are aimed at achieving further alignment with international rules by incorporating several additional elements of Codex Alimentarius standards into EU legislation, whilst also taking account of the Code of Practice of the European Fruit Juice Association.

The Directive lays down rules on the production, composition and labelling of fruit juices and certain similar products intended for human consumption in order to ensure their free movement with the European Union. The proposal will follow the ordinary legislative procedure in the European Parliament and the Council.

German beverages producer Eckes-Granini Group is planning a fruit juices joint venture with Turkish firm Yildiz Holding. Eckes-Granini is one of the leading fruit juice producers in Europe and generated a turnover of Eur827m last year, selling over 1b litres of juice.

In August, Eckes-Granini formed a strategic partnership with KMV (Karlovarske Mineralni Vody), the leading bottled water supplier in the Czech market. The deals are in line with Eckes-Granini’s international expansion policy.

Yıldız Holding entered the European Union market by opening a factory in Romania in 2005. In 2007 it acquired Godiva, one of the world’s leading premium chocolate and chocolate products brands, and also operates sugar confectionery and gum joint ventures with Gumlink and Continental Confectionery Company.

Netherlands-based Refresco, Europe’s leading manufacturer of private label soft drinks and fruit juices, is to acquire Soft Drinks International, a German producer of soft drinks and water, for an undisclosed price. SDI is a strong, regional producer, primarily active in the German market and the Benelux, with production facilities in Erfstadt (Germany) and Heerlen (The Netherlands). SDI’s products are also exported to other European countries.

SDI focuses solely on the private label segment. Turnover in 2009 was Eur140m and production was approximately 1b units. The deal is expected to be completed within several months.

The acquisition is in line with Refresco’s ‘buy and build’ strategy, which is focused on further strengthening and expanding the company’s leading position in non-alcoholic beverages in Europe. The takeover signifies an important step for Refresco in the growing German market for carbonated soft drinks (CSDs). It allows Refresco to further expand its product range – which in Germany currently consists primarily of fruit juices – with CSDs. The deal will transform Refresco Germany, which had a turnover of over Eur240m in 2009, into a full service provider of non-alcoholic beverages.

In addition, the acquisition allows Refresco to integrate the activities of SDI into its existing organisation and consequently further optimise its production processes and improve its competitive position to become one of the top three biggest manufacturers of soft drinks and fruit juices in Germany. Furthermore it will reinforce Refresco’s position in the growing private label market.

Established in 2000, Refresco currently operates 19 production sites in eight countries across Europe and employs more than 2,200 people. In 2009, Refresco achieved a turnover of Eur1.14b.

Danone has signed exclusive 10 years licence agreements with Probi, providing the French food and beverage giant with exclusive rights to use the Swedish probiotic research company’s Lp299 technology in probiotic fruit drinks and fruit juices for gut health outside North America. Danone is also acquiring a 51% stake in the ProViva probiotic digestive health brand from Swedish dairy company Skanemejerier.

ProViva was the world’s first probiotic fruit drink for digestive health and remains the brand leader. Danone’s Activia yogurt is the biggest digestive health yogurt brand in the world.

“Danone is one of the most successful healthy food companies in the world and is better placed than anyone else to replicate the success of ProViva in Sweden in other parts of the world,” says Micheal Oredsson, chief executive of Probi.

Danone’s current interest in developing probiotic fruit drinks and fruit juices follows its recent global joint venture with global fruit producer Chiquita.

Refresco Iberia has installed a new line for cans at its production plant in Marcilla, in the north of Spain. The canning line is producing carbonated soft drinks and still drinks, ranging from fruit and sports drinks to ice teas in 33cl cans. The installation marks an important extension of Refresco Iberia’s product-portfolio, which until now consisted of carton and PET.

”With the installation of the canning line, we are now in Iberia able to better respond to our customers’ needs and to offer a total product-portfolio, in line with the Refresco strategy. We explicitly chose to install the canning line at our production location in Marcilla because of its strategic location to supply international customers of the European Refresco group,” explains Dominique Luna, managing director of Refresco Iberia.

Cans will account for about 5% of Refresco Iberia’s volume production this year but is expected to increase to 15% next year and to then reach 30%, in line with the Refresco Iberia’s objective to achieve a better diversification in formats between carton, PET and cans.

Refreso Iberia is part of Netherlands-based Refresco, which is one of the largest producers of fruit juices and soft drinks in Europe. The group had a turnover of Eur1.14b in 2009 and employed about 2,300 people.