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Our History

Celebrating our history

We have a proud history as a local bottler, with a focus on beverage products, pushing boundaries, blazing trails and creating possibilities, for more than 100 years.

Beginning life in 1904, as British Tobacco Company Limited, we began diversifying early with the purchase of a printing company in 1909. By 1960, with our strong printing capabilities, we expanded into packaging before a move into the Australian food and beverage industry in 1963.


It was during the second World War that thousands of Australians had been introduced to a great new drink by American troops. Of course, that drink was Coca-Cola and by 1965, the brand was a household name. It was then that the face and path of our company changed forever, with the purchase of Coca-Cola Bottlers Pty Ltd in Perth.


In 1977, after more than fifty years trading as British Tobacco, we became Allied Manufacturing and Trade Industries Limited—or AMATIL Limited, for short. The change of name ushered in a new era for the business. Sensing opportunities beyond our shores, during the late 1970s and early 1980s, we acquired snack foods and Coca-Cola bottling franchises in Europe.


Between 1986 and 1989 we acquired further Coca-Cola franchises across Australia as well as the Pacific franchises in Fiji and Wellington along with the Ecks and Deep Spring mineral water brands.


In recognising our focus was on beverages and snack foods we cast aside our other interests, including tobacco. Subsequently, the Coca-Cola Company became a major shareholder and we became Coca-Cola Amatil.


Our entry into South East Asia followed soon after with the formation, in 1991, of two strategic joint ventures in Indonesia, and the acquisition of the two major Coca-Cola bottling operations in Papua New Guinea. Over the next decade we would further consolidate this position in Indonesia, expanding our operations in Australia, Fiji and New Zealand.


As the 90’s came to a close we split the organisation into two entities, demerging our European interests and creating a new listed European bottler, Coca-Cola Beverages Plc.


In the decade that followed we undertook a series of acquisitions in the Australian and New Zealand food and beverage markets, securing many wonderful brands. Including Neverfail Springwater, Peats Ridge Springs, Baker Halls, SPC Ardmona and Grinders Coffee. We also acquired the Northern Territory Coca-Cola franchise in 2004, positioning us as the sole licensee of Coca-Cola products in Australia.


Fearless in our pursuit of new opportunities, in 2006 and 2007, we added alcohol to our portfolio with premium beers, spirits and Alcohol Ready-to-Drink beverages, commencing our relationship with the company that would later become Beam Suntory.


In 2010 we focused our attention on businesses closer to home, investing in building state of the art facilities at Northmead and Eastern Creek, cementing our place as a leader in beverage packaging and bottling.


We acquired Paradise Beverages (Fiji) Limited in 2012, closely followed by the establishment of our Australian Beer Company in 2013 – a partnership with the Casella family.

 

In 2021, Coca-Cola Amatil became part of Coca-Cola Europacific Partners.

Together we are the world's largest Coca-Cola bottler with 33,000 employees and a footprint covering more than 25 countries.