CCEP and Beam Suntory to move forward independently in Australia and New Zealand from H2 2025

CCEP signals further growth aspirations in alcohol.

Following a successful 16-year manufacturing, sales, and distribution partnership in the exciting spirits and alcoholic Ready-to-Drink (RTD) categories, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) and Beam Suntory will move forward independently in Australia and New Zealand, to fully leverage their respective capabilities and reflect their broader strategies in alcohol. This will come into effect when the contract expires in Australia on 30 June 2025, and in New Zealand on 31 December 2025.

Since 2007 in Australia and 2015 in New Zealand, CCEP has been responsible for the sales and distribution of the Beam Suntory spirits portfolio, as well as the manufacture, sales, and distribution of its alcoholic RTD portfolio. Commenting on the partnership, CCEP’s Regional Managing Director for Australia, Pacific and Indonesia, Peter West said:

“We are incredibly proud of the results and capabilities we have built over the last 16 years. It's been an exceptionally successful partnership, achieving rapid growth and driving strong category leadership including recently becoming the MAT market leader in alcoholic RTD in Australia[1].”

“Until the contracts end, it remains business as usual for our customers, and the great service we deliver. We intend to continue maximising our business performance and the category performance for the remainder of the contracts.”

CCEP plans to continue to participate in alcohol beyond the expiry of the Beam Suntory contracts and views alcoholic RTD beverages as an attractive proposition given its explosive growth in Australia and New Zealand, and its demonstrated synergies with CCEP’s existing knowledge and technical prowess. The expiry of the contracts will continue to drive CCEP’s business ambition to further align as a bottler of its brand partner, The Coca-Cola Company, and will free up much needed capacity to support its growing portfolio in Australia and New Zealand.

Peter West added: “Our understanding of the spirits and alcoholic RTD market has never been stronger, and beyond the expiry of the Beam Suntory contracts we plan to launch new scalable offerings in both Australia and New Zealand aligned with The Coca-Cola Company.”

Peter West added, “Alcohol is a dynamic and important category, and when you look at the growth in alcoholic RTD beverages around the world, two of the most developed markets are Australia and New Zealand. CCEP's experience in manufacturing alcoholic RTD beverages, our relationships servicing over 21,000 customers across the sector, and our deep consumer and customer knowledge all position CCEP well for a great future in alcohol.”

[1] Source: Circana April 2023 MAT Liquor market report