Merger creates leading pan-European bottler of soft drinks and fruit juices
The shareholders of Refresco and Gerber Emig are pleased to announce completion of the merger between Refresco and Gerber Emig. This follows approval of the European Competition Commission on October 4, 2013. The European Competition Commission’s green light to merge is conditional upon divestment of the production and bottling plant in Waibstadt, Germany.
Refresco Gerber
The combination creates a compelling industry proposition for retail and branded customers who will benefit from greater scale, a seamless service across geographies and access to a broader portfolio of soft drinks and fruit juices in more markets. The combined business will be well positioned to meet customers’ continuously changing needs and requirements. And, as one company, Refresco Gerber will have greater opportunities to invest in innovation, to achieve growth and to optimise the business.
Gerber Emig shareholders own 27.5% of the shares in the new group and Refresco shareholders own 72.5%. The composition of the Supervisory Board reflects the combined shareholder base.
Hans Roelofs, Chief Executive Officer of Refresco Gerber said: “I am proud to lead forward this strong and focused organisation. And I am excited about building on our combined capabilities to create a broader business, which promises many opportunities for our customers and employees alike. We will focus on value creation for all our stakeholders and are willing to invest in the future of the total industry.”
Further details about organisational structures and financials will be provided in due course as appropriate.
