Government Foils Coca-Cola Bid For Chinese Juice Maker

Coca-Cola executives were disappointed when the Chinese government put an end to its $2.4 billion quest to acquire China’s top juice manufacturer Huiyuan Juice. But that didn’t dim its enthusiasm for the giant marketplace. A company exec said Coca-Cola regrets the government’s decision, and is “reassessing” its options. “Yes,” a company exec said, “we now have to compete with them." Among the options: launching one of its own juice drink brands, such as Simply Orange or Cappy, to compete against Huiyuan. Or marketing a pure juice product.