Tue, 03 Feb 2026 | BUSINESS SALE
Listed drinks maker AG Barr has expanded with the acquisitions of two well-known soft drink brands in deals worth a combined total of more than £50 million. The Cumbernauld-headquartered group, best known for making IRN-BRU, has acquired Fentimans and Frobishers Juices.
Fentimans Limited is a Hexham-based maker of soft drinks and mixers, while Exeter-based Frobishers Juices Limited is a premium natural fruit juices and soft drinks brand. The two companies operate in the adult soft drinks market, which is seeing growth amid a trend of lower alcohol consumption.
AG Barr acquired Frobishers Juices in late January for £13 million, subsequently completing a £38 million deal for Fentimans on February 2. In the year ending December 31 2024, Fentimans Limited reported turnover of around £35.7 million, down from approximately £39 million a year earlier, but grew its operating profit from £97,000 to £1.4 million.
Alongside the acquisitions, AG Barr has reported a 4 per cent increase in revenue to £437 million for the year to January 31 2026. The group also achieved double-digit profit growth, attributed to the benefits of ongoing supply chain investment and efficiency initiatives.
Euan Sutherland, Chief Executive at AG Barr, commented: "We are pleased to report a strong year that highlights delivery of our strategic priorities. Our top and bottom line performance for FY25/26 is in line with expectations, and importantly we have laid strong foundations for future growth. We enter FY26/27 with good momentum in our core brands and from the introduction of exciting new products.”
Sutherland added that the acquisitions of Fentimans and Frobishers Juices were in line with the group’s strategy of enhancing its organic growth through M&A and said that the synergies associated with the deals “are expected to drive meaningful accretion over the medium term.”
Despite a wide array of challenges facing dealmakers, M&A activity remained resilient in the UK's food and beverage sector last year
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