EU clears acquisition of Multon by Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola HBC

<p>The European Union on Monday cleared the acquisition of Russian juice-maker Multon by The Coca-Cola Co. and the Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Co.</p><p>Financial details weren't disclosed. Analysts have estimated the deal to be worth $650 million.</p><p>The cost of the purchase will be equally split between Coca-Cola HBC, the world's third-largest bottler of Coke products, and Atlanta-based Coca-Cola, which owns 24 percent of the Greek bottler.</p><p>In February, Coca-Cola said it planned to add water and juice to its emerging markets activities. With 25 percent of the market, Multon is the third-largest juice producer in Russia. It had 2004 revenue of $336 million.</p><p>Western conglomerates have been trying to tap into Russia's booming consumer market. As well as catering to a market of 144 million people, Russia's retailers and consumer goods manufacturers are largely free of the political risks that attend the nation's raw materials conglomerates, most of which were snapped up in shady privatization deals in the 1990s.</p><p>___</p><p>On the Net:</p><p>The Coca-Cola Co.: www.cocacola.com</p>

http://accesswdun.com/article/2005/4/147498