ALEX BRUMMER: London risks its fizz over Britvic By Alex Brummer for the Daily Mail Updated: 21:51 BST, 21 June 2024 e-mail View comments Britvic has long appeared an anachronism. Down at the Druids Head in Brighton, for as long as I can remember, it sold orange juice in the smallest bottles for the highest prices. One often mused as to how it could survive when the supermarkets sell great cartons of freshly squeezed with a competitive mark-up.
Robinsons, its other main brand, will shortly make its annual appearance at Wimbledon. It also brings back memories of sun-kissed birthday parties from childhood. In an age of healthy and energy-giving beverages, cordials appear awkwardly dated.
Not it seems to Danish brewer Carlsberg. In a world when alcoholic drinks are being diluted, mixers and soft drinks are coming back into fashion. The UK is good at fizzy drinks.
Schweppes crossed the Atlantic way back in 2005 thanks to the ministrations of activist investor Nelson Peltz. He did entrepreneurship a favour. Fever-Tree, which uses superior ingredients, has filled a gap in the UK market.
A G Barr, home to Scotland's Irn-Bru (as well as Lucozade), carries on regardless. With exquisite timing, after Denmark somewhat humiliated England in the Euros, it has been disclosed that brewer Carlsberg, which claims a UK heritage dating back 300 years, is seeking control of Britvic with a £3.1billion bid.
The board chaired by Ian Durant, a Hanson acolyte who has occupied the chair at Greggs, ha.
