Coca-Cola Acquires French Bottling Firm

Coca-Cola Co. said Wednesday that it has completed the acquisition of a bottling and distribution subsidiary of France’s Pernod-Ricard group.

Coca-Cola said it has agreed to pay the equivalent of about $140 million for Societe Parisienne de Boissons Gazeuses (SPBG) and its subsidiaries, which have bottled and distributed soft drinks in France under license from Coca-Cola for the past 40 years.

Pernod-Ricard put the price higher, at about $155 million. A spokesman said the difference reflected a payment covering items such as current contracts and goodwill.

Coke also said it planned a joint venture with an Australian company to acquire Oasis Industries Ltd., New Zealand’s largest soft-drink company and Coke bottler, for $130 million.