“Big Soda” Goes Natural and Niche with Latest Acquisitions

In a bid to reduce their dependence on the struggling carbonates segment, the three biggest players in US carbonates have recently made a number of acquisitions to expand into more premium soft drinks segments. On November 22, Dr. Pepper Snapple Group announced it was purchasing Bai Brands for US$1.7 billion. On the same day, PepsiCo stated it would be buying KeVita. These acquisitions as well as The Coca-Cola Co’s purchase of Aloe Gloe in June reflect the companies’ intentions to enter i...