Vultures circle
Coke's Costa

KKR leads bidding for
collapsing coffee chain

The US investment giant KKR has made a move to buy Costa Coffee, one of Europe's leading coffee chains. Bought by Coca Cola in 2018 for $5Bn+ it has under performed and now expected to sell at a -70% discount? Yet another example of a 'operational excellence' model failing to adapt to a 'customer intimacy' listening environment? Full story here, first

Keurig coffee down
Price hikes hedge

CEO's complacent comment
Dr.Pepper brands acq boost

Keurig Dr.Pepper, the $15Bn refreshments and coffee giant reported progress with beverage brands in Q3'25. However, coffee demand weakened in WFH & business markets. Amidst unpopular takeover activity of Peets in Europe and Starboard's activist pressure CEO Tim Cofer commented complacently on a "We delivered robust growth"?  Full Analysis here, first 

Coke frothy from
high price hikes

Volume down. Costa Coffee
collapse; Cut price sale on 

Coca Cola's business supply inc.restaurants, volumes haven't recovered after Covid. James Quincey ceo reported declining volumes offset by continued price inflation in Q3'25. Costa Coffee acquired in '18 was well down and ready for cut price sale. Full analysis here, first

Nestle: flat volume
fed by price hikes

Nespresso & water dripping?
New CEO's plan for growth.

Nestle the #1 global food & beverage maker reported flat volumes in Q3'25, boosted by price increases. Demand continued soft in WFH-consumer markets e.g. coffee, water. New CEO Philipp Navratil, commented: “Driving real volume growth is our number one priority". Full story here, first...

Vulture Starboard
circles  K e u r i g

Ex-Staples/Depot activist hits
unpopular Peets coffee deal

US activist investor aka 'vulture' Starboard former Staples and Depot predator has built a stake in Keurig Dr Pepper in the wake of its poorly received plan to acquire European coffee maker JDE Peet’s which crashed the beverage group’s market cap by -25%. CEO Jeff Smith's previous actions have destroyed brands, not enhanced value. Watch this space here, first for next steps...

Pepsi pricing power
hides demand slide

Weaker demand in foods and

beverages in NA/International

Pepsico the $92Bn+ food & beverages marketer to consumers and business, sales volume declined, buffered by price increases in Q3'25, Complacent CEO Ramon Laguarta was pleased with results commenting "Reflects ressilience of our international business" despite subdued category performance trends in US/EU.. Full analysis here, first

United N a t u r a l
Foods' eases off

Ex-Staples ceo deflected
by cyberattack recovery

United Natural Foods (UNFI) the US#1 broadline foodservice wholesalerreported slower sales growth in Q4'25. “We delivered a solid quarter effectively navigated the cyber incident in collaboration with our customers and suppliers" said ex-Staples ceo Sandy Douglas. Full analysis here, first 

Coke's confused
Costa c o l l a p s e

Drink giant’s costly coffee
venture another M&A failure?

Caffeinated brown drinks are all much the same, right? That seems to have been the flawed thinking at mighty Coca-Cola when it confidently snapped up UK’s Costa Coffee chain in 2018. "If it could dominate the world of cold fizzy drinks, surely it could turn the same with hot frothy ones?" writes The Times' Patrick Hoskins. Full story here, first

'Water everywhere,
not a drop to drink'

Ex-Nestle BlueTriton sinks into
self inflicted service drought

The $6.5Bn US water bottler, BlueTriton a merger of Nestle and Primo brands is currently unable to service its thirsty customers in major markets. The problem appears to be the single focus on water delivery being too inflexible and expensive to meet the needs of commercial market. Full story here, first..

Coke to take 70%
Costa Coffee hit?

VC Apollo withdraws offer so
which 'vulture' will step up?

VC Apollo Global Management which owns The Restaurant Group, has decided not to bid for Costa Coffee the high street coffee chain as early talks with its owner Coca-Cola, failed to progress. The current value placed on Costa is $2Bn, down -70% on the $5.5Bn acquistion price paid in 2018. Which vulture will now step up to the plate? Full story here, first