CCEP takes another step back from liquor with sale of Feral Brewing

Coca Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) has today announced that it has entered into a binding agreement with Beerfarm that will see it offload its equity stake in Feral Brewing Co’s Bassendean production facilities.

According to CCEP’s Managing Director of Australia Orlando Rodriguez, the sale has been made in an effort to rechannel the brand’s efforts around its non-alcoholic portfolio. 

“As CCEP continues to align as a bottler of our brand partner, The Coca-Cola Company, the sale of Feral Brewing Company will ensure Feral is ideally positioned for the next exciting phase of growth, while enabling us to focus on our core NARTD portfolio.” 

The sale occurs shortly ahead of the H2 2025 termination of the CCEP and Beam Suntory partnership and represents another backwards step from previous indications that CCEP would continue to invest in Australian liquor brands. This includes Rodriguez recently telling Drinks Trade that he was "excited by the potential growth opportunities for CCEP in the alcohol category, particularly spirits and RTD, while we continue to execute our growth plans for soft drinks and our broader non-alcohol portfolio."

The sale follows on from CCEP’s March announcement that it would no longer handle the distribution and sales of Rekorderlig Cider in Australia. Before that, CCEP expressed interest in offloading the Feral brand from as early as October 2021, three years post purchase.

Today’s sale will see Western Australian brewery Beerfarm take full ownership of Feral’s production facilities, which they will operate with the support from Nail Brewing and Joint Venture Partners, a consortium of investors. The acquisition will also see Feral Brewing return to being an independently owned brewery.

The acquisition will directly contribute to Beerfarm’s growth ambitions, with the brewery hoping to more than triple its volume through both national and international expansion. Beerfarm will operate Feral Brewing Co as an independent and standalone brand.

The transaction is expected to be completed in June. CCEP has indicated it will work closely with the new owner to ensure a smooth transition process for all involved parties.

“We are proud of the performance of the Feral business and the journey we have been on with our brand, customers and suppliers,” said Rodriguez. 

“Our sensational Feral team has been integral to the Feral experience and brand, and a huge contributor to its overall track record of performance. 

“We are proud of everything they have achieved and are excited by what the future holds for Feral under new ownership.”