Britvic aims to buy French rival - graduate jobs

Graduates looking to take their first step up the career ladder might like to consider drinks giant Britvic, which has reported a 39% jump in half-year profits and said it aims to buy French soft drinks company Fruite Enterprises.

The 7Up, Pepsi and J20 maker has seen its interim pre-tax profits jump to £27.8 million for the six months to April 11.

It said the 237 million euro (£203 million) deal would give the group a foothold in the £11 billion French soft drinks market. The move would also give it a platform for growth throughout Western Europe, raising expectations it will create new jobs in the food and drink sector.

Fruite says that it is the French soft-drinks market's leading independent company.

Fruite's range includes dilutable syrup brands Teisseire and Moulin de Valdonne and pure juice specialist Pressade.

The proposed takeover comes as Britvic confirmed sales were up 4.6% in the first half, despite a difficult second quarter when a harsh winter and tough comparatives saw a slow-down in demand.

But it hailed a "return to robust growth" in the second half so far amid signs of modest improvements across all markets, while the struggling Britvic Ireland arm scraped back into profit in the first six months.

Britvic also forecast that new product innovations in the British market were expected to add between 1% and 2% to annual revenues.

Fruite's biggest market by far is France, accounting for 91% of turnover, although it also exports to the UK and other European countries.