Pepsi’s Next Big Acquisition in China

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By Chris Lange Published
Pepsi’s Next Big Acquisition in China

© Maryna Iaroshenko / Getty Images

PepsiCo Inc. (NASDAQ: PEP | PEP Price Prediction) made a big move in China over the weekend that was unrelated to the coronavirus. The food and beverage giant announced Sunday that it had agreed to buy the Chinese snack brand Be & Cheery from Haoxiangni Health Food.

Pepsi’s management has said that the acquisition was an important step in its goal to become China’s leading consumer-focused food and beverage company. Note that Be & Cheery sells snacks, including nuts and dried fruit, on Chinese e-commerce platforms.

Under the terms of the deal, Pepsi is paying roughly $705 million for Be & Cheery. The transaction is subject to a Haoziangni shareholder vote and is subject to certain regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.

Be & Cheery was founded in 2003 and is one of the largest online snack companies in China. It reported revenues of about $711 million for the 2019 full year.

Ram Krishnan, CEO of PepsiCo Greater China, commented:

Be & Cheery adds direct-to-consumer capability, positioning us to capitalize on continued growth in e-commerce, and a local brand that is able to stretch across a broad portfolio of products, through both online and offline channels.

[nativounit]

PepsiCo stock closed Friday at $145.85, in a 52-week range of $114.21 to $147.20. The consensus price target is $146.44. Pepsi shares were largely unmoved Monday morning, while the broad markets turned south.

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Photo of Chris Lange
About the Author Chris Lange →

Chris Lange is a writer for 24/7 Wall St., based in Houston. He has covered financial markets over the past decade with an emphasis on healthcare, tech, and IPOs. During this time, he has published thousands of articles with insightful analysis across these complex fields. Currently, Lange's focus is on military and geopolitical topics.

Lange's work has been quoted or mentioned in Forbes, The New York Times, Business Insider, USA Today, MSN, Yahoo, The Verge, Vice, The Intelligencer, Quartz, Nasdaq, The Motley Fool, Fox Business, International Business Times, The Street, Seeking Alpha, Barron’s, Benzinga, and many other major publications.

A graduate of Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, Lange majored in business with a particular focus on investments. He has previous experience in the banking industry and startups.

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