Tokyo, Japan, May 28 - Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. today announced that it has signed an agreement to purchase a 49% stake in Alma S.A., a leading manufacturer of bottled mineral water, for approximately EUR 750 million (approximately JPY 120 billion). The transaction was closed on May 26, 2008 in Paris.
This transaction is an important milestone for Otsuka Pharmaceutical’s European consumer products business, since it provides Otsuka with a strong foothold in the European mineral water business and with a platform for further expansion into the European market.
Alma S.A. is the holding company of Alma Group which includes Neptune, a leading manufacturer and marketer of bottled mineral water in France. Alma Group has 34 production sites across Europe and manufactures a large variety of brands, including Cristaline, Courmayeur, St. Yorre and Vichy Célestins. Cristaline, the popular mineral water bottled from a dedicated range of water springs, holds the number-one market share in France. Through its branded products, ranging from still mineral water to naturally carbonated mineral water, Alma Group responds in a unique way to a variety of consumer tastes and preferences. Group annual sales in 2007 were approximately EUR 780 million (approximately 125 billion).
Our existing US mineral water operation, Crystal Geyser Water Company which manufactures and markets Crystal Geyser Alpine Spring Water, is performing well. Japanese sales of Crystal Geyser Alpine Spring Water, which is imported and marketed in Japan by Otsuka Beverage Co., Ltd., have shown an excellent performance with sales exceeding 13.5 million cases in 2007. The partnership with Alma Group with its large European production, distribution and marketing network offers Otsuka Pharmaceutical’s consumer products business a unique opportunity to further expand its global franchise as a leading wellness company with operations in Japan, Asia including China, the U.S. and Europe.
Based on the corporate philosophy of ‘Otsuka - people creating new products for better health worldwide’, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. is dedicated to contributing to the health and wellbeing of people around the world.
About Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
Founded in 1964, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. is a global healthcare company with the corporate philosophy: 'Otsuka - people creating new products for better health worldwide.' Otsuka researches, develops, manufactures and markets innovative and original products, with a focus on pharmaceutical products for the treatment of diseases and consumer products for the maintenance of everyday health. Otsuka is committed to being a corporation that creates global value, adhering to the high ethical standards required of a company involved in human health and life, maintaining a dynamic corporate culture, and working in harmony with local communities and the natural environment.
The Otsuka Pharmaceutical Group comprises 104 companies and employs approximately 31,000 people in 18 countries and regions worldwide. Otsuka and its consolidated subsidiaries earned ¥928.4 billion in annual revenues in fiscal 2007.