The Western Australian brewery was acquired via Coca-Cola Amatil, which at the time identified alcohol and coffee as a key driver for future business growth.
In 2021, however, it announced its plans to exit beer and instead concentrate on its core non-alcoholic portfolio as well as RTD alcohol (with brands such as Topo Chico Hard Seltzer).
The sale of Feral will see the ownership of the brand and employees transfer to a joint venture comprising independent Western Australian brewery, Nail Brewing, and a consortium of investors. It will also involve fellow independent Western Australian brewery, Beerfarm, who will purchase all of Feral’s assets to enable continued production of Feral products.
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Australia Managing Director, Orlando Rodriguez, said the decision followed a strategic review at the company.
“As CCEP continues to align as a bottler of our brand partner, The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC), 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 [non-alcoholic ready-to-drink] portfolio,” he said.
“The purchasers possess the attributes to deliver the necessary scale to achieve long-term sustainable growth for the Feral business, and just as importantly, to continue to invest in the development and growth of the Feral team.”
Feral currently contract brews for both Beerfarm and Nail Brewing at its premises and the parties pledge to continue to support and grow the Feral brand and production volumes, while maximising beer production at the existing Bassendean site in Western Australia.
Feral was acquired by Coca-Cola Amatil in 2018; with Amatil taken over by Coca-Cola European Partners in 2021, creating today’s Coca-Cola Europacific Partners.
Completion of the transaction is expected in June.
Last year, CCEP also announced its plans to end a 16 year manufacturing, sales and distribution partnership in spirits and alcohol RTD in Australia and New Zealand with Beam Suntory: with the current agreement ending in 2025. Instead, CCEP will launch its own alcohol offerings in the two markets.