Britvic facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Britvic

Former type	Private
Industry	Soft drinks
Fate	Acquired by Carlsberg Group, merged into Carlsberg Marston's to create Carlsberg Britvic
Successor	Carlsberg Britvic
Founded	1938; 87 years ago (1938)
Defunct	17 January 2025; 7 months ago (2025-01-17)
Headquarters	Hemel Hempstead, England, UK
Products	Fruit Shoot Licensee: 7Up Mountain Dew Pepsi Lipton
Brands	J2O R. White's Tango Club
Revenue	£1,748.6 million (2023)
Operating income	£181.5 million (2023)
Net income	£124.0 million (2023)
Number of employees	4,537 (2023)
Parent	Carlsberg Group
Subsidiaries	Robinsons

Britvic was a big British company that made soft drinks. Its main office was in Hemel Hempstead, England. Britvic made drinks under its own name and also for many other popular brands. The company was listed on the London Stock Exchange. This meant people could buy shares in the company. In January 2025, a company called Carlsberg Group bought Britvic. Britvic then became part of Carlsberg's UK business, now known as Carlsberg Britvic.

The Story of Britvic: How It Grew

Canned fruit juices by Britvic (2011)

Britvic started in the 1930s in Chelmsford, England. Its first name was the British Vitamin Products Company. It began making fruit juices in 1938. The company started selling these juices under the Britvic name in 1949.

Becoming a Bigger Company

In 1968, Britvic became part of a larger company called Allied Breweries. In 1971, the company officially changed its name to Britvic. Over the years, Britvic grew by joining with other companies. In 1986, it merged with Canada Dry Rawlings. This is when it got the R. White's Lemonade brand.

Adding Famous Drink Brands

Britvic bought the Tango and Corona brands in 1987. Since then, it has also made and sold Pepsi and 7 Up drinks in the UK. In 1995, Britvic bought the popular Robinson's squash brand.

Going Public and New Purchases

In December 2005, Britvic became a public company. This meant its main owners could sell their shares to others. In May 2007, Britvic bought the soft drink businesses of Ireland's Cantrell & Cochrane (C&C) for £169.5 million.

A Merger That Didn't Happen

In November 2012, Britvic planned to merge with A.G. Barr. A.G. Barr makes drinks like Irn-Bru. This merger would have created one of Europe's biggest soft drink companies. However, the Office of Fair Trading looked into the merger. They were worried it might stop fair competition. So, in July 2013, the merger was called off.

The Carlsberg Acquisition

In May 2017, PepsiCo sold its shares in Britvic. Then, on July 8, 2024, the Danish Carlsberg Group announced it would buy Britvic. This deal was approved by the court on January 15, 2025. Britvic officially became part of Carlsberg's UK business on January 17, 2025. The combined company is now called Carlsberg Britvic. This made Carlsberg the biggest company to make PepsiCo drinks outside of the USA.

Where Britvic Operated

Britvic House, the old Britvic headquarters in Chelmsford

Most of Britvic's business was in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The company also sold its drinks to over 50 other countries. Its main office moved from Chelmsford to Hemel Hempstead in March 2012.

Britvic's Presence in the United Kingdom

In the UK, Britvic owned brands like Britvic mixers, R. White's Lemonade, Tango, Robinson's, and J₂O. It also made and bottled PepsiCo products for the UK. In 2008, Britvic started selling Gatorade in the UK. In May 2010, Britvic launched a special UK version of Mountain Dew Energy. This version had less caffeine and sugar than the American one.

Britvic's Presence in Ireland

Britvic facility in Gortrush Industrial Estate in Northern Ireland (2008)

After buying C&C's soft drink brands, Britvic owned many brands in Ireland. These included Ballygowan Water, Britvic, Cidona, MiWadi, and Energise Sport. Britvic also had the rights to bottle Pepsi and 7 Up in Ireland.

Britvic's Presence in France

Britvic bought Fruité Entreprises in France in May 2010 for £298 million. This business was renamed Britvic France. It mainly focused on fruit juices, unlike the UK and Ireland businesses that focused on soft drinks.

Britvic's Presence in Brazil

In 2015, Britvic bought a company called ebba in São Paulo, Brazil. In 2017, it bought another Brazilian company called Bela Ischia in Rio de Janeiro.

Popular Brands Britvic Made

Here are some of the popular brands that Britvic made: