Coca-Cola HBC confirms €260 million deal for Serbian Bambi confectionery
Swiss bottling business Coca‑Cola HBC has enhanced its portfolio with a €260 million acquisition deal for Bambi, a leading Serbian confectionery company.
The move was achieved with investment funds from Mid Europa Partners, and will be subject to closing conditions and regulatory approvals.
Bambi, which has reported annual revenues of €80 million, was established in 1967, specialising in biscuits, wafers and savoury snacks through its core brands including Plazma, Wellness, Zlatni Pek, and Josh.
Its main biscuit brand, Plazma, reportedly ranks first in brand recognition in Serbia, with the majority of its business being previously done with the immediate region.
The company said the acquisition adds market-leading major brands in a relevant, adjacent category to the Coca‑Cola HBC portfolio in Serbia and in the Western Balkans which are among our fastest growing territories.
In addition, the business added that Bambi offers opportunities for revenue synergies through cross-promotion and complementary innovation and cost efficiencies. The Bambi business also brings a strong distribution network and product portfolio in strategically important channels such as traditional retail and HoReCa.
Zoran Bogdanovic, CEO of Coca‑Cola HBC, operating as part of the Coca-Cola brand within 28 European countries, believed the move represented a strong development for the business.
He said: “This acquisition represents an excellent opportunity to create additional value for Coca‑Cola HBC, its customers and shareholders. It adds iconic, complementary consumer brands to our portfolio of leading beverage brands, as well as consumer-focused innovation capabilities. It further strengthens our relevance with customers and allows us to increase our presence in key consumption occasions, such as the start of the day, on the go and at home snacking and refreshment.”
