| Wed 5 Dec 2007, 9:30 | | SAB - SABMiller And Coca-Cola Amatil Acquire Bluetongue Brewery In |
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SAB
SOSAB
SAB - SABMiller And Coca-Cola Amatil Acquire Bluetongue Brewery In
Australia
JSEALPHA CODE : SAB
ISSUER CODE: SOSAB
ISIN CODE: GB0004835483
5 December 2007
SABMILLER AND COCA-COLA AMATIL ACQUIRE BLUETONGUE BREWERY IN AUSTRALIA
SABMiller plc today announces that its joint venture with Coca-Cola
Amatil Limited (CCA), Pacific Beverages Pty Limited (Pacific
Beverages) has acquired Bluetongue Brewery Pty Limited (Bluetongue),
the Australian premium brewer.
Bluetongue was established in 2003 and operates from a brewery near
Newcastle, New South Wales with an annual capacity in excess of
50,000 hectolitres. Its premium beer brands include Bluetongue
Premium Lager, Bluetongue Premium Light, Bluetongue Traditional
Pilsner, Bluetongue Alcoholic Ginger Beer and Bondi Blonde.
In its four years of operation Bluetongue has had significant success in
the premium beer category and in 2004 Bluetongue Premium Lager was
awarded New Product of the Year at the Australian Liquor Awards.
The operations and product range have been progressively expanded
and in the year to November 2007 the company has delivered sales
growth of over 70 per cent.
The acquisition will give Pacific Beverages greater access to the
Australian premium beer market which has grown at a rate of around
15 per cent each year for the last six years. Ari Mervis, Managing
Director SABMiller Asia, said, "The Australian premium beer market
is growing strongly year-on-year. Pacific Beverages is well placed
to capitalise on this trend and our expertise in premium brand
management together with CCA`s distribution strength means that we
can accelerate the development of the Bluetongue brands and grow our
share of the premium beer market in Australia."
Terry Davis, the Group Managing Director of CCA, said, "The acquisition
of Bluetongue Brewery adds a fast-growing and uniquely Australian
premium beer brand to Pacific Beverages` existing portfolio of
imported premium beers and fits perfectly with our strategy of
developing our presence in the Australian premium beer market."
Sales of Pacific Beverages` existing premium imported beer brands have
grown strongly since their introduction in 2006. For the full year,
it is expected that volumes will grow by more than 100 per cent over
the prior year when the brands were managed under other distribution
arrangements. This growth has been achieved through targeted brand
advertising, outlet execution, and the benefits of expanding
availability through CCA`s large customer network. In November 2007
SABMiller`s Miller Chill, a chelada-style light beer was launched in
the Australian market and early consumer uptake has been
encouraging.
The value of the gross assets acquired is approximately A$14 million
(US$12.3 million). The purchase price is not being disclosed.
Ends
Note to editors:
Pacific Beverages
Pacific Beverages is the 50:50 joint venture between Coca-Cola Amatil
Limited and SABMiller plc to sell and distribute imported premium
beer in Australia. Pacific Beverages imported SABMiller`s
international premium brands, Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Miller Genuine
Draft, Miller Chill and Pilsner Urquell into the Australian market.
Pacific Beverages also sells and distributes the premium spirit
portfolio of global premium spirits distributor Maxxium. Major
brands include Jim Beam, Canadian Club, Remy Martin, Cointreau, The
Famous Grouse and ABSOLUT VODKA.
Bluetongue
Based in Newcastle, New South Wales, Bluetongue was established in
November 2003. Premium beer brands include Bluetongue Premium
Lager, Bluetongue Premium Light, Bluetongue Traditional Pilsner and
Bluetongue Alcoholic Ginger Beer, and Bondi Blonde. The company
currently employs 47 people.
Bluetongue`s name originates from the blue-tongued lizard, one of
Australia`s favourite native creatures. They are about 30cm long,
have a large fierce looking head and are easily recognised by their
bright blue tongue which they stick out to warn off predators. Blue-
tongues are often found basking in the sun in the Australian bush
and in backyards across suburban Australia.
SABMiller plc
SABMiller plc is one of the world`s largest brewers with brewing
interests or distribution agreements in over 60 countries across six
continents. The group`s brands include premium international beers
such as Miller Genuine Draft, Peroni Nastro Azzurro and Pilsner
Urquell, as well as an exceptional range of market leading local
brands. Outside the USA, SABMiller plc is also one of the largest
bottlers of Coca-Cola products in the world. In the year ended 31
March 2007, the group reported $3,154 million adjusted pre-tax
profit and revenue of $18,620 million. SABMiller plc is listed on
the London and Johannesburg stock exchanges.
For more information on SABMiller plc, visit the company`s website:
www.sabmiller.com
Coca-Cola Amatil Limited (CCA)
CCA is the largest non-alcoholic beverage company in the Asia-Pacific
region and one of the world`s top give Coca-Cola bottlers. CCA
operates across five countries - Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia,
Fiji and Papua New Guinea. In the past six years CCA has
diversified its portfolio of products to include water, sports
drinks, fruit juices, coffee, iced teas and packaged ready-to-eat
fruit and vegetable products.
CCA produces the Australian market`s number one cola brand - Coca-Cola;
the number one non-sugar colas, diet Coke and Coca-Cola Zero; the
number one bottled water brand Mount Franklin and the number one
sports beverage; Powerade Isotonic.
Enquiries:
SABMiller plc
Sue Clark Director of Corporate Tel: +44 20 7659 0184
Affairs
Gary Leibowitz Senior Vice President, Tel: +44 20 7659 0119
Investor Relations
Nigel Fairbrass Head of Media Relations Mob: + 44 7799 894
265
Coca-Cola Amatil Limited
Sally Loane Media Tel: +61 2 9259 6797
Paul Irving Analysts Tel: +61 2 9259 6185
This announcement does not constitute an offer to sell or issue or the
solicitation of an offer to buy or acquire securities of SABMiller
plc (the "Company") or any of its affiliates in any jurisdiction or
an inducement to enter into investment activity.
This document includes "forward-looking statements". These statements
may contain the words "anticipate", "believe", "intend", "estimate",
"expect" and words of similar meaning. All statements other than
statements of historical facts included in this announcement,
including, without limitation, those regarding the Company`s
financial position, business strategy, plans and objectives of
management for future operations (including development plans and
objectives relating to the Company`s products and services) are
forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements
involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important
factors that could cause the actual results, performance or
achievements of the Company to be materially different from future
results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such
forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are
based on numerous assumptions regarding the Company`s present and
future business strategies and the environment in which the Company
will operate in the future. These forward-looking statements speak
only as at the date of this announcement. The Company expressly
disclaims any obligation or undertaking to disseminate any updates
or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained in this
announcement to reflect any change in the Company`s expectations
with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or
circumstances on which any such statement is based. Any information
contained in this announcement on the price at which the Company`s
securities have been bought or sold in the past, or on the yield on
such securities, should not be relied upon as a guide to future
performance.
Date: 05/12/2007 09:30:38 Produced by the JSE SENS Department.
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