Cadbury Schweppes and The Carlyle Group Acquire Beverage America and Select Beverages

In conjunction with its joint venture partner, The Carlyle Group, Cadbury Schweppes plc has acquired U.S. Midwest bottling groups Beverage America and Select Beverages. The new joint venture company will be known as The American Bottling Company.

The American Bottling Company will bottle and distribute approximately 30% of Dr Pepper/Seven Up volume in the Independent Bottling System. Key brands include 7 UP, Dr Pepper, Canada Dry, Sunkist, Schweppes, A&W and Squirt. Other important brands bottled and distributed by these bottlers include Royal Crown, Mistic, Snapple, Hawaiian Punch and Evian.

Richard A. Beardon, former president of Cadbury Schweppes' Latin America/Mexico Beverages operations, was named president and COO. Beardon previously held the position of operations director of CCSB in the UK from 1989 - 1994.

Both shareholders are represented equally on the board of The American Bottling Company, which will be managed separately from Cadbury Schweppes' existing soft drinks operations in the United States. The chairman of the board will be John F. Brock, managing director of Cadbury Schweppes' Beverages Stream.

Edited by Pam Ahlberg