57 acquisitions in December

2016 ended with the usual flurry of transactions. 57 food and drink deals were recorded on the bevblog.net mergers and acquisitions database in December.

Less common was the number of larger purchases, with 7 over $500 million, including 5 in excess of $1,000 million:

• €7,300 million for Japan’s Asahi to buy the former SABMiller beer operations in East Europe from Anheuser-Busch InBev.

• $5,500 million for Switzerland’s Lonza to acquire US based Capsugel in biopharmaceuticals from the Kohlberg Kravis Roberts investment group.

• $3,150 million for Coca-Cola to purchase 54.5% of Coca-Cola Beverages Africa from Anheuser-Busch InBev.

• $1,130 million for Canada’s CCL Industries to take over UK-based Innovia in packaging from the Smithfield private equity business.

• $1,075 million for Thailand’s Charoen Pokphand Foods to win Bellisio Foods in the United States.

14 of the 57 total were in alcohol, 8 in soft drinks, 7 in services, 5 in ingredients and 4 in dairy.

32 were international, 25 within national borders.

23 featured the United States, 12 the United Kingdom, 9 France, 7 Switzerland, 5 Spain, 4 Belgium, 4 Japan and 3 each Brazil, Canada, Italy and the Netherlands.