Drinks are lined up for new year's bash

The shake-up of Australia's beverages sector is set to intensify in 2009, with the future of Lion Nathan's $8 billion merger offer for Coca-Cola Amatil and Japanese brewer Asahi's $1.2 billion bid for Cadbury Schweppes expected to be determined in the first quarter.

• Dec 30, 2008
• Nabila Ahmed

Coke may add fizz to transformation

Beverage group Coca-Cola Amatil is considering turning up the wick on its $65 million business-wide information systems transformation to steal a march on competitors hit by the current economic slowdown.

• Dec 9, 2008
• Chris Jenkins

CCA launches foray into fruit cordials

Coca-Cola Amatil appears poised to challenge Cottees and GlaxoSmith- Kline in the lucrative fruit cordial market by acquiring the Baker Halls brand from New Zealand's Old Fashioned Foods.

• Dec 9, 2008
• Sue Mitchell

• Street Talk

Street Talk

Raisings outrunning supply of funds

• Dec 5, 2008
• Edited by Jemima Whyte (jemima.whyte@afr.com.au)

Lion Nathan has Georgia on its mind

There's a simplicity in the logic underlying Lion Nathan's proposal that it merge with Coca-Cola Amatil that is being obscured by all the predictable noise that has erupted since The Australian Financial Review first revealed that the two companies were having discussions.

• Nov 22, 2008
• Alan Jury

A lot of bottle but the prey won't lie down for the predator

Lion Nathan's bid for Coca-Cola Amatil has pitted two determined beverage chiefs against each other, writes Simon Evans.

• Nov 22, 2008
• Simon Evans

• Market Wrap

Taking Stock

Little World Beverages

• Nov 21, 2008
• Sue Mitchell; Gabriella Hold; Peter Wells; Khia Mercer; David Ciampa;

Bad signs for crouching Lion Nathan

Coca-Cola Amatil's biggest shareholder, The Coca-Cola Co, told investors as recently as last month that it remained open to the possibility of selling bottling assets.

• Nov 21, 2008
• Anthony Hughes NEW YORK

• Street Talk

Street Talk

Motivated vendor requires quick sale

• Nov 21, 2008
• Edited by: Jemima Whyte (jemima.whyte@afr.com.au)

Coke slams 'half-baked' deal

Coca-Cola Amatil chief executive Terry Davis has broken his silence and come out firing against Lion Nathan's $8 billion takeover offer, denouncing the bid as "fatally flawed" and "half-baked".

• Nov 21, 2008
• Sue Mitchell

CC Amatil pressed to consider bid

Fund managers have urged the Coca-Cola Amatil board to reconsider Lion Nathan's $8 billion takeover bid, saying the deal makes strategic sense and the current terms are attractive for both sets of shareholders.

• Nov 20, 2008
• Sue Mitchell and Simon Evans

Match will be decided after long-distance sparring

Forget all the jaw-boning and finger-pointing, a merger between Coca-Cola Amatil and Lion Nathan will be decided in Tokyo and Atlanta. Not Sydney.

• Nov 18, 2008
• Brett Clegg

Regulator may take punch bowl away

Lion Nathan's new-found enthusiasm for the fizzy drinks market has been triggered by recent changes in the Australian and New Zealand alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages market and the ambitions of major shareholder Kirin.

• Nov 18, 2008
• Sue Mitchell and Carrie LaFrenz

Drinkers rush home to Mother

New packaging, a new flavour and an admission of failure have sparked a sharp jump in sales of Mother, the energy drink Coca-Cola Amatil and Coca-Cola Australia launched in January 2007 and were forced to relaunch three months ago because of low sales.

• Oct 13, 2008
• Neil Shoebridge

• Construction

Rising costs rein in margins

Record oil prices emerged as the biggest villain as a constant theme played out during reporting season, writes Michael Smith.

• Sep 3, 2008
• Michael Smith.