Britvic

{{Infobox company

| name = Britvic

| logo = Britvic logo.png

| type = Private

| traded_as =

| foundation = {{date and age|1938}}

| defunct = {{end date and age|2025|01|17|df=y}}

| fate = Acquired by Carlsberg Group, merged into Carlsberg Marston's to create Carlsberg Britvic

| successor = Carlsberg Britvic

| location = {{nowrap|Hemel Hempstead, England, UK}}

| key_people =

| industry = Soft drinks

| brands = {{hlist|J₂O|R. White's|Tango}}Club Orange

| products = Fruit Shoot
Licensee:{{Unbulleted list|7Up|Mountain Dew|Pepsi}}Lipton

| revenue = {{increase}} £1,748.6 million (2023){{cite web|url=https://www.britvic.com/media/krpdotmg/britvic-annual-report-and-accounts-2023.pdf|title=Annual Report 2023|publisher=Britvic|access-date=12 February 2024}}

| operating_income = {{decrease}} £181.5 million (2023)

| net_income = {{decrease}} £124.0 million (2023)

| num_employees = 4,537 (2023)

| parent = Carlsberg Group

| owner =

| subsid = Robinsons

| homepage = {{URL|britvic.com}}

| footnotes =

}}

Britvic was a British producer of soft drinks based in Hemel Hempstead, England. It produced soft drinks under its own name, as well as several other brands. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange until it was acquired by Carlsberg Group and integrated into Carlsberg's UK operations as part of Carlsberg Britvic in January 2025.

History

File:Britvic drinks 2636.JPG

The company was founded in the 1930s in Chelmsford as the British Vitamin Products Company.{{cite web|url=https://www.britvic.com/about-us/where-we-operate/great-britain/|title=Where we operate|publisher=Britvic|access-date=27 February 2024}}[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-22626993 Britvic to close Chelmsford factory and put hundreds out of work] BBC News, 22 May 2013 It started producing fruit juices in 1938 and started marketing them under the Britvic name in 1949.[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/500-staff--and-britvic-chief--face-axe-in-merger-with-ag-barr-8317287.html 500 staff – and Britvic chief – face axe in merger with AG Barr] The Independent (London), 15 November 2012 Acquired by Showerings of Shepton Mallet, and subsequently a division of Allied Breweries from 1968, the company changed its name to Britvic in 1971. In 1986, it merged with Canada Dry Rawlings and acquired the R. White's Lemonade brand. It acquired Tango and the Corona brand from Beechams in 1987 and since that year it has also owned the UK franchise for Pepsi and 7 Up.[http://www.coachingnetwork.org.uk/information-portal/Articles/ViewArticle.asp?artId=93 A simple approach to coaching makes a difference at Britvic] Coaching & Mentoring Network In 1995, it bought Robinson's from Reckitt & Colman.{{cite news|url=https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/great-british-brands-robinsons-long-linked-wimbledon-tennis-championships-drinks-maker-today-barley-water/154778|title=Robinsons - Long linked with the Wimbledon tennis championships, the drinks-maker is today about more than barley water|work=Campaign Live|date=1 August 2002|access-date=16 March 2019}}

In December 2005, the company underwent an initial public offering (IPO), allowing its main shareholders (InterContinental Hotels Group, Whitbread, Pernod Ricard) to realise their investments.[http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/1101148a-5d84-11da-be9c-0000779e2340.html#axzz2w4qUI7pD Britvic IPO to value drinks group at up to £537m] Financial Times (London), 25 November 2005 In May 2007, the Company bought the soft drinks and distribution businesses of Ireland's Cantrell & Cochrane (C&C) for £169.5m.[https://www.cnbc.com/2007/05/14/britvic-agrees-to-buy-ccs-softdrinks-division.html Britvic Agrees to Buy C&C's Soft-Drinks Division] CNBC, 14 May 2007

On 14 November 2012, the company announced plans to merge with Scottish soft drink producer A.G. Barr, the maker of brands including Irn-Bru, Tizer and D'n'B, which would have created one of Europe's largest soft drinks companies.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-20322017 AG Barr and Britvic agree to merger] BBC News, 14 November 2012 The merger was put into serious doubt{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/britvic-merger-idUSL5N0BDD4820130213 |title=UPDATE 1-Britvic merger with A.G. Barr under threat |date=13 February 2013 |work=Reuters |access-date=23 March 2013 |archive-date=17 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017005014/http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/13/britvic-merger-idUSL5N0BDD4820130213 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/9868934/AG-Barr-and-Britvic-merger-thwarted-by-the-Office-of-Fair-Trading.html |first=Graham |last=Ruddick |title=AG Barr and Britvic merger thwarted by the Office of Fair Trading |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |date=13 February 2013 |access-date=23 March 2013}} after the Office of Fair Trading referred it to the Competition Commission.{{cite web |url=http://www.oft.gov.uk/news-and-updates/press/2013/14-13 |title=OFT refers soft drinks merger to Competition Commission - The Office of Fair Trading |publisher=Oft.gov.uk |date=13 February 2013 |access-date=23 March 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130308203044/http://www.oft.gov.uk/news-and-updates/press/2013/14-13 |archive-date=8 March 2013 }} On 11 July 2013, A.G. Barr chairman, Ronnie Hanna, announced that the proposed merger had been abandoned.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-23275790 |title=AG Barr abandons bid for Britvic |work=BBC News |date=11 July 2013 |access-date=8 August 2013}}

In May 2017, PepsiCo announced that it had decided to sell its long-held 4.5 per cent stake in Britvic.{{Cite news|url=http://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/PepsiCo-Plans-To-Sell-All-Of-Its-4-5-Stake-In-Britvic-1002043850|title=PepsiCo Plans To Sell All Of Its 4.5% Stake In Britvic|work=markets.businessinsider.com|access-date=7 November 2017}}

On 8 July 2024, it was announced that the Danish Carlsberg Group would buy Britvic. Upon completion, Britvic will rebrand under the Carlsberg umbrella, with the brewery company becoming the biggest PepsiCo drink licenser in the world. The transaction was approved by the court on 15 January 2025, so allowing it to complete.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4g93rkel0mo|title=High Court approves Carlsberg's J20 maker takeover|publisher=BBC News|date=15 January 2025|access-date=16 January 2025}}

Britvic was incorporated into Carlsberg's existing UK business Carlsberg Marston's, and the whole business was renamed Carlsberg Britvic on 17 January 2025.{{Cite web |title=Carlsberg Britvic launches in historic moment for the British drinks industry |url=https://www.carlsbergmarstons.co.uk/newsroom/carlsberg-britvic-launches-in-historic-moment-for-the-british-drinks-industry/|publisher=Carlsberg Marstons|access-date=30 January 2025}}

Operations

Image:Britvicbuilding.jpg

Most of the company's operations are concentrated in the United Kingdom and Ireland and the company exports to over 50 countries. Its corporate headquarters moved from Chelmsford, Essex to Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, in March 2012.{{cite news|url=http://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/Business-News/Britvic-to-create-30-jobs-in-HQ-move|title=Britvic to create 30 jobs in HQ move|work=foodmanufacture.co.uk|date=23 March 2012|access-date=26 August 2013|first=Freddie|last=Dawson}}

=United Kingdom=

The drink brands the company owns in the UK include Britvic mixers, R. White's Lemonade, Tango, Robinson's and J₂O – as well as being the licensed bottler for PepsiCo products within the UK. In 2008, Britvic launched Gatorade in the UK, after securing the rights to do so from PepsiCo. In May 2010, Britvic launched a UK specific version of the popular drink, Mountain Dew Energy. It tastes similar to its American counterpart, but has a lower caffeine and sugar content.{{cite web|url=http://www.just-drinks.com/news/britvic-launches-mountain-dew-energy_id100358.aspx|title=Britvic launches Mountain Dew Energy|date=31 March 2010|publisher=Just Drinks|access-date=16 April 2017|archive-date=22 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201022011235/https://www.just-drinks.com/news/britvic-launches-mountain-dew-energy_id100358.aspx|url-status=dead}}

=Ireland=

File:Britvic, Northern Ireland - geograph.org.uk - 917651.jpg

After their failed IPO C&C's sold their soft drink brands to Britvic, resulting in the company now owning a number of brands in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, including, Ballygowan Water, Britvic, Cidona, MiWadi, and Energise Sport as well as the rights to the Pepsi and 7 Up brands in the territory through its bottling agreements with PepsiCo.{{cite news|url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/business/britvic-ireland-returns-to-growth-367084.html|title=Britvic Ireland returns to growth|date=16 November 2015|work=Irish Examiner|access-date=16 April 2017}}

=France=

Britvic bought Fruité Entreprises in May 2010 for £298 million. It has since renamed the business Britvic France. It is mainly a fruit juice business, unlike the GB&I businesses that focus on soft drinks.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/epic/bvic/7735429/Britvic-to-buy-Frances-Fruite-for-237m.html|title=Britvic to buy France's Fruite for €237m|date=18 May 2010|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=16 April 2017}}

=Brazil=

In 2015, Britvic acquired ebba (Empresa Brasileira de Bebidas e Alimentos SA), located in São Paulo,{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/11757339/Britvic-enters-Brazilian-market-as-it-snaps-up-soft-drink-maker-Ebba.html|title=Britvic enters Brazilian market as it snaps up soft drink maker Ebba|date=23 July 2015|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=16 March 2019}} and in 2017 Bela Ischia, located in Rio de Janeiro.{{cite news|url=http://www.irishnews.com/business/2017/01/03/news/britvic-to-acquire-brazilian-juice-firm-bela-ischia-for-54-5m-862511/|title=Britvic to acquire Brazilian juice firm Bela Ischia for £54.5m|work=Irish News|date=3 January 2017|access-date=16 March 2019}}