PepsiCo Bottler to Buy Crickley Dairy for $14.3m; Dividend Growth Surpasses Coke
Varun Beverages, PepsiCo's India-based bottler, will acquire South Africa's Crickley Dairy for R238m ($14.3m), boosting its dairy and juice portfolio after the Twizza deal. PepsiCo has raised its annual dividend at a faster rate than Coca-Cola, widening its income advantage.
1. Crickley Dairy Acquisition
Varun Beverages will acquire Crickley Dairy in South Africa's Eastern Cape for R238m ($14.3m) through its subsidiary The Beverage Company. The deal adds value-added dairy and juice-based drinks to its portfolio, following its Twizza and previous franchise acquisitions in South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini.
2. Dividend Growth Comparison
PepsiCo has increased its annual dividend at a faster clip than Coca-Cola over recent years, reinforcing its appeal to income-focused investors. This outpaces Coca-Cola's more conservative payout schedule despite PepsiCo generating higher overall revenue.