Britvic

Our History

Britvic Soft Drinks has a long and rich history that extends back to Victorian England and further. The British Vitamin Products Company - from which Britvic takes its abbreviated name - was founded in the mid-nineteenth century in the market town of Chelmsford in Essex. The company was then little more than a home business run from a chemist's shop, not unusual for a soft drinks producer of the time. Soon the company was producing all kinds of originally concocted soft drinks, including lemonades, mineral waters, tonics and non-alcoholic ales.

It wasn't until 1938 that the Britvic range of juices that we know today were first produced - thanks to Ralph Chapman, owner of the British Vitamin Products Company. Recognising that the Great Depression in the UK meant that many of his poorest customers needed an affordable source of Vitamin C, he found a way to bottle fruit juices so that they stayed fresh for longer without the addition of preservatives. His juices were sold in small glass bottles which ensured easy transportation. The idea was immediately successful but it was only in 1949 that the Britvic brand was formally launched into the marketplace.

In the years following the Second World War, Britvic went from strength to strength, building a modern factory in its hometown of Chelmsford. In 1971, the British Vitamin Product Company formally changed its name to Britvic in recognition of its leading brand's appeal. In 1986, Canada Dry Rawlings - a company formed by the merger of Bass (now IHG) and Whitbread's soft drinks interests - came together with Britvic to form Britvic Soft Drinks. The company went on to buy the soft drinks business of Beechams and acquire the U.K. franchises of Pepsi and 7UP. In 1995 Britvic added Robinsons to the fold and acquired Orchid Drinks, famous for its Amé, Aqua Libra and Purdey's Brands, in 2000 Britvic acquired the UK and Irish rights of the energy drink Red Devil in 2002. In 2004, Britvic acquired the water business of Ben Shaws, which includes Pennine Spring. In 2007 Britvic acquired the soft drinks and distribution businesses of C&C Group plc.

Key Events

Some key events from recent years:

1987

Acquisition of the Tango brand from Beechams.

Entry into an exclusive 20-year bottling arrangement for Pepsi and 7UP in Great Britain.

Total soft drinks volume produced by the Group approximately 740 million litres.

1995

Acquisition of the Robinsons brand from Reckitt & Colman.

Total soft drinks volume produced by the Group first exceeds 1 billion litres.

1998

Launch of J₂O in the licensed on-trade.

2000

Acquisition of Orchid Drinks (bringing the Ame, Purdey’s and Aqua Libra brands into the portfolio).

Launch of Fruit Shoot.

2002

Acquisition of the Red Devil brand.

2004

PepsiCo arrangements renewed for a further 15 years (with a five year extension on Admission).

Acquisition of water products and source.

2005

Total soft drinks volume supplied by the Group over 1.4 billion litres.

Britvic floats on the London Stock Exchange in December.

2006

Launch of Drench and Gatorade.

The Really Wild Drinks Company established

2007

Britvic acquires the soft drinks and distribution businesses of C&C Group plc.