Hoop, the Polish soft drinks group, has acquired its compatriot Woda Grodziska, a producer of mineral water, for an undisclosed sum.
Woda produces both carbonated and still mineral water, as well as a range of soft drinks sold under brands such as Grodziska, Grodziska Dino Cola and Dino Oranzada, and Hoop said it would retain these brands as well as beginning production of its own products at the Woda plant.
Hoop produces products such as Hoop Cola, Koop energy drinks, Arctic mineral water and Mr Max fruit drinks, and is looking to expand its business throughout Poland through acquisitions and plant leasings. It currently owns two plants and leases a third.
The Woda Grodziska facility has a production capacity of around 14,500 bottles per hour, and will allow Hoop to increase both its mineral water and soft drinks market shares. It currently has around 4.7 per cent of the mineral water market in Poland and 11 per cent of the carbonated soft drinks market there.
But more than that, the Woda takeover will allow Hoop to step up its international expansion plans, with the German market already in its sights. The company had been considering launching in Germany for the last year or so, but had been hampered by the long distance between its production centres. The acquisition of Woda, which is much nearer to the German border, will allow the company to tackle that market without excess distribution costs.
The company is also considering acquiring a mineral water bottling facility in Slovakia.