Coca-Cola Company swoops on failed Billson’s alcoholic RTD range

The Coca-Cola Company has bought the alcoholic ready-to-drink range from failed Victorian beverages producer Billson’s.

Billson's owner Nathan Cowan. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

The Coca-Cola Company, the US drinks giant headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, has bought the spirits ready-to-drink range from failed Victorian beverages producer Billson’s.

On Friday Coca-Cola announced it had entered into an agreement to acquire Billson’s, an Australia-based brand that includes local market leaders Vodka with Tangle, Vodka with Grape Burst, and Vodka with Portello.

The current owners of Billson’s, Nathan and Felicity Cowan, will continue to produce their cordial, soda and beer range under a new brand name and to operate their hospitality business in Beechworth, Victoria, Australia.

“We are excited to add Billson’s to our portfolio of Australian brands,” said Matthias Blume, Coca-Cola vice president of marketing, ASEAN and South Pacific. “This acquisition allows us to expand in the dynamic and growing alcoholic ready-to-drink category in Australia and aligns with our vision to provide a beverage for every occasion, always keeping the consumer at the centre of everything we do.

Billson’s RTD range will now be under the Coco-Cola umbrella.

Mr Blume added that the Billson’s team had built the brand through innovative flavours and great-tasting drinks, creating a passionate community of “flavour chasers”. “We are looking forward to expanding on those foundations and bringing great-tasting Billson’s products to even more Australians,” he said.

Billson’s, founded in Beechworth in 1865, was bought by the Cowan family in 2017 and steadily grew to have annual sales of just over $100m, helped by a booming spirits RTD arm, but the business collapsed in July. The beverage company’s bankers, National Australia Bank, were reportedly owed $12.2m and unsecured creditors $7.4m.

“We are thrilled to have entered into an agreement to sell the Billson’s brand and alcoholic RTD range to a company like Coca-Cola,” said Nathan Cowan. “We wholeheartedly believe that the brand is in the best possible hands for it to thrive long into the future.

“This will allow us to dedicate ourselves to what we love most: the Beechworth venue experience and our historic cordial range,” Felicity Cowan said. “We’ll also have more time to focus on our passion for soda, liqueurs, beer and alpine spring water.”

The deal puts Australian beverage brand into The Coca-Cola Company’s trophy cabinet.

In 2022 some of Australia’s most iconic beverage brands, including 160-year old Queensland soft drink Kirks, Mount Franklin and Deep Spring bottled water, were sold to Coke after the acquisition of locally listed bottler Coca-Cola Amatil.

Australia’s beverage market is projected to reach a value of $US3.68bn ($5.9bn) in 2024, according to Statista, before rising to $US5.67bn in 2029.

The average Australian adult is expected to have spent $US370 on beverages this year.