Coca-Cola HBC to acquire BDS Vending Solutions in Ireland 

IRELAND – Coca-Cola HBC Northern Ireland Ltd, a subsidiary of Coca-Cola HBC, has announced an agreement to acquire 100 percent of BDS Vending Solutions Ltd.  

The acquisition aligns with Coca-Cola HBC’s strategic objective to strengthen its route-to-market capabilities, especially in last-mile delivery, and to capitalize on profitable opportunities within its diverse cold and hot beverages and snacks portfolio. 

BDS Vending, founded in 1993, is a well-established food and drink vending services business in Ireland, with a fleet of approximately 2,000 vending machines. 

Coca-Cola HBC views this acquisition as a valuable building block, providing established technology and services that will enable the development of additional capabilities across its markets. 

Davide Franzetti, general manager of Coca-Cola HBC Ireland & Northern Ireland, expressed enthusiasm for the proposed acquisition, stating, “We are delighted to be announcing this proposed acquisition of BDS Vending and we look forward to working with the BDS team. 

BDS will provide us with a joint platform to build capabilities in our route-to-market, to offer our customers greater choice and to further enhance our consumer experience.” 

The transaction is subject to approval by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) in Ireland and is expected to be finalized in the coming months.  

Upon completion, BDS Vending’s founders, David Mullan and Brian Berry, have agreed to support the ownership transition. 

Coca-Cola HBC’s acquisition of BDS Vending follows its acquisition of the Polish self-serve coffee vending business, Costa Express, in 2021, marking a strategic expansion of its operations.  

In its full-year financial results for 2023, Coca-Cola HBC reported a net sales revenue of US$10.93 billion, up 10.7 percent year on year, with a net profit of US$826.9 million, representing a 22.3 percent increase from the previous year. 

This announcement coincides with Coca-Cola HBC Italia’s investment of US$45 million in its Oricola factory in Italy, signaling a significant expansion of its production capabilities. 

With the introduction of the two new production lines for cans, including one dedicated to energy drinks, the Oricola plant aims to diversify its offerings beyond recycled plastic products, marking a significant milestone in its operations. 

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