THURSDAY, 12.00NOON
THE Competition is to meet the liquidators of Pepsi bottler New Age Beverages on Thursday to discuss the implications of selling the bankrupt bottler’s plant to one of the market leaders.
Chief liquidator Les Cohen confirmed that bottling giant Amalgamated Beverage Industries and other large bottlers have expressed interest in buying the plant, and added that details of bids will be released on Thursday.
Smaller bottlers have expressed concern that ABi might acquire the New Age plant, enabling it to further tighten its grip on the local soft-drink bottling market. One of the bidders, a consortium of small bottling companies, said it is relying on the Competition Board to break up the power of the large bottlers.