The IUF's Private Equity Buyout Watch

Buyout fund Lion Capital has followed its August 2007 USD 500 million purchase of Russian juice drinks company Nidan Soki with the acquisition of a majority stake in the Russian Alcohol Group, the country's largest producer of vodka and ready-to-drink (RTD) alcoholic beverages. Russian Alcohol's Green Mark vodka is the largest brand by volume in Russia and one of the top 5 global brands.

Continue reading "Lion Capital Picks Up Russia's Biggest Vodka Maker" »

Posted on May 26, 2008 02:35 PM | Permalink

Lion Capital, which last year acquired the up-market chips maker Kettle Foods, has called in professional union busters to prevent the T&G section of Unite from organizing 340 workers at the company's Norwich facility. After the T&G successfully applied for union recognition in April, Lion engaged the "Omega Division" of US-based Burke Group, one of the most notorious US union-busting firms.

Continue reading "Lion Capital Calls in the Union-Busters" »

Posted on October 3, 2007 05:13 PM | Permalink

The biggest-ever leveraged buyout in the sluggish Russian buyout market has just been anounced, with Lion Capital buying the juice drinks company Nidan Soki for over USD 500 million. UK-based Lion Capital has been steadily expanding its portfolio of branded food companies.

Continue reading "Record Russian LBO as Lion Capital Buys Drinks Maker" »

Posted on August 7, 2007 01:56 PM | Permalink

Cadbury-Schweppes' projected sell off it's US drinks division to private equity appears to be advancing on schedule, following the March demerger of the two divisions.

Continue reading "Cadbury US Beverages Sale to "Unlock" Shareholder Windfall " »

Posted on May 29, 2007 03:45 PM | Permalink

On 15 March, Cadbury Schweppes annnounced plans to split up its confectionery and US beverages businesses. According financial news, the US beverages division may be bought by private equity groups like Lion Capital and Blackstone Group.

In 2005 Cadbury Schweppes sold its European beverages division, including the brands Schweppes, Orangina and Oasis, to Lion Capital and Blackstone for £1.3 billion pound.

Continue reading "Possible buyout of Cadbury Schweppes US beverage division by Blackstone and Lion Capital " »

Posted on March 16, 2007 06:26 AM | Permalink

Kettle Foods is the market leader in both the US and the UK for organic potato chips.

Read more: Lion Capital to acquire Kettle Foods as natural snack market expands, bakeryandsnacks.com, 10 Aug 2006

Posted on February 21, 2007 02:12 PM | Permalink

In February 2006 Lion Capital and Blackstone Group acquired the European Beverages Division of Cadbury Schweppes plc. The beverages division, formally known as “CSEB” and now “Orangina SAS”, was acquired for US$1.85 billion.

Continue reading "Lion Capital and Blackstone buyout of the European Beverages Division of Cadbury Schweppes" »

Posted on February 21, 2007 01:56 PM | Permalink

Lion Capital bought Weetabix for £640 million in November 2003.

Posted on February 21, 2007 01:46 PM | Permalink