Commission clears Coca Cola to acquire Rio Beverages
The Commerce Commission has approved clearance applications from The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC) to acquire the trademarks
and intellectual property associated with the brands owned by Rio Beverages Limited (Rio Beverages) and from Coca-Cola
Amatil (NZ) Limited (CCA NZ) to acquire the remaining business assets necessary to operate the Rio Beverages business.
TCCC is involved in the ownership of trademarks used to identify non-alcoholic beverages as well as the manufacture and
sale of concentrates and beverage bases. It has one subsidiary in New Zealand, Coca-Cola Oceania Limited.
CCA NZ is involved in the manufacture, distribution and sale of non-alcoholic beverages and is a wholly owned subsidiary
of Coca-Cola Amatil Limited, an Australian listed company. TCCC, through various wholly owned subsidiaries, owns
approximately 35% of Coca-Cola Amatil Limited.
Chair John Belgrave said the Commission is satisfied that the proposed acquisition would not have, nor would be likely
to have, the effect of substantially lessening competition in any of the affected markets.
The Commission’s written decision on the application will be available soon on the Commission’s website, http://www.comcom.govt.nz/adjudication.