Addisons was delighted to act as legal advisers to The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC) in its acquisition of the Billson’s brands of alcoholic ready-to-drink beverages. The deal completed today.
The Billson’s brands originated in Beechworth, Victoria in around 1865 and are much loved by the Australian public. While the beverages produced under those brands saw extraordinary growth during COVID, the seller of the operational assets faced cash flow challenges since then and entered into administration in mid-2024.
This deal represents an important strategic step for TCCC, marking its first purchase of alcoholic beverage brands in Australia.
The transaction was highly complex with two sellers: one in administration, the other not, therefore requiring a multidisciplinary team at Addisons from both the M&A and insolvency sections of the firm.
The administration process also drove a deal timetable that led to the fastest deal ever done by TCCC.
The Addisons M&A team was led by Laura Hartley and Renee Shipp, with support from Sarah Best, CC Ma, Rachel White and Lisa Csomore; insolvency advice was provided by Steve Mattiussi, Vivien Botsikas and Harry Bowers; and liquor licensing advice by Penny Murray, Pauline Adraskelas and Jasleen Atwal.
Partner Laura Hartley said, “We are so proud to have advised The Coca-Cola Company on acquiring the Billson’s brands and taking this important strategic step for their business. This deal is another example of Addisons’ expertise in advising clients in complex transactions. We have no doubt these historic brands will continue to grow and prosper under TCCC’s stewardship and that this transaction will mark the beginning of a successful future for TCCC in the alcoholic ready-to-drink category in Australia. We look forward to working with TCCC as it realises its vision for these brands in years to come”.