Coca-Cola HBC to buy majority stake in Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Egypt for $427m

Coca-Cola HBC has agreed to acquire a majority stake in Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Egypt (CCBCE) for $427 million.

According to the announcement – which came after the Swiss-based bottler reported a steep rise in half-year profits – the company’s Coca-Cola HBC Holdings subsidiary will buy around 94.7% of CCBCE from its major shareholders, including The Coca-Cola Company and Mac Beverages, along with certain other affiliates.

Coca-Cola HBC says that the deal will provide it with access to the second largest non-alcoholic ready-to-drink market in Africa by volume and expand its exposure to high-growth geographies.

Abdul Galil Besher, chairman of Mac Beverages and CCBCE, said: “We are very pleased to pass on to Coca-Cola HBC the ownership torch of CCBCE”. 

“As a leading anchor bottler of the Coca-Cola system, we believe that Coca-Cola HBC will accelerate CCBCE’s growth ambitions, by combining its expertise, breadth of knowledge, know-how and critical mass, with the company’s deep market knowledge developed over our multi-decade presence in Egypt.”

Brian Smith, president and chief operating officer of The Coca-Cola Company, added: “This transaction promises to strengthen our system in Egypt, where the expertise of Coca-Cola HBC will be a complement to the local knowledge and capabilities of CCBCE”.

“This agreement represents an important development in the Coca-Cola system’s long-term commitment to the growth and development of this important market.”