Carlsberg sells Swiss soft drinks unit
sell its soft drink unit to compatriot juice and cider maker
Thurella in order to focus on its core beer and mineral operations.
Feldschlösschen, the Swiss arm of Danish brewer Carlsberg, is to sell its soft drink bottling plant to compatriot Thurella for DK100 million (€13.5m).
The plant, which is based in the town of Eglisau, and its 110 employees, will be taken over by Thurella on 1 January 2004.
Feldschlösschen has decided to sell the bottling plant in order to concentrate on its core businesses - production and sales of beer and mineral water.
Last year the plant in Eglisau filled 133 million bottles of soft drinks including Schweppes and Lipton Ice Tea, which will still be bottled in Eglisau. Feldschlösschen will continue to market these products, the company said in a statement.
Thurella is a Swiss producer of apple-based drinks, including both cider under the Rittergold brand and apple juice under the Obi brand. It also makes a variety of fruit juice and fruit-based spirit products.
Carlsberg first acquired Feldschlösschen in 2000 as part of its aggressive European expansion. The company is the biggest brewer in Switzerland, with its eponymous brand leading the market with a 24 per cent share.
Its soft drink brands include Sinalco, Schweppes, Coca-Cola and Orangina, while the group's mineral water brands include Allegra, Arkina, Passuger and Rhäzünzer.
