FOR THE FIRST TIME in a quarter of a century, Banks Holdings Limited (BHL) will be operating on a temporary contract to produce its best-selling soft drink under the Coca-Cola franchise.
Sources last night told the DAILY NATION that BHL’s Coca-Cola contract expires next month and AmBev, the new owners of BHL, have been trying desperately to retain the franchise, even though across much of the Americas, AmBev produces Coke’s main rival Pepsi Cola.
Officials close to BHL had feared the lucrative Coca-Cola franchise would be threatened if AmBev was successful in its take-over battle for control of BHL because of the competing interests.
The Coke franchise includes Sprite, several diet drinks, Canada Dry and Schweppes drinks. BHL got control of the franchise after it acquired Barbados Bottling Company in 1991. BBC had held the contract since November 1945. (GE)
Please read the full story in today’s Daily Nation, or in the eNATION edition.
