INTERNATIONAL
From Times Staff and Wire Reports
Nestle Bids for Rest of Vittel: Nestle, the majority owner of French mineral water company Vittel, launched a bid for the rest of the company. Nestle’s bid of almost $180 million for the 47.5% of Vittel that it does not already own came shortly after Italian industrialist Giovanni Agnelli offered to increase his stake in Exor, the majority shareholder in Perrier. Vittel is one of the four leading brands of uncarbonated mineral water in France and accounts for more than half of such mineral water sold in restaurants and bars, a senior Vittel executive said.
