BURLINGTON, MASS. — Keurig Dr Pepper, Inc. has agreed to acquire the global rights to Atypique, a non-alcoholic, ready-to-drink brand, from Station Agro-Biotech, a company based in Saint-Hyacinthe, Que., that manufactures and markets alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
KDP announced the deal on June 23, the same day the company recommended its shareholders reject an unsolicited “mini-tender” offer by TRC Capital Investment Corp. to purchase up to 4 million shares of KDP stock at a price below the market price on the Nasdaq.
KDP expects the deal for Atypique to close early in the fourth quarter. Terms were not disclosed.
The agreement includes a multi-year collaboration between KDP and Station Agro-Biotech to fuel Atypique growth, leveraging Station Agro-Biotech’s research and development expertise in the category and KDP’s sales and distribution network. Station Agro-Biotech owns a laboratory dedicated to research and development. In Canada, non-alcoholic cocktails grew more than 30% in retail dollar sales during the last year, and Atypique has a 42% market share of that segment where it is distributed, according to KDP.
“At Keurig Dr Pepper, we strongly believe in innovation to drive growth to meet the evolving beverage needs of consumers,” said Ozan Dokmecioglu, chief financial officer and president of international for KDP. “We are excited to add this new platform to our powerful portfolio in Canada, and the global rights to Atypique provides optionality to further expand the brand’s growth potential.”
Étienne Boulay, a television and radio host and former player in the Canadian Football League, co-founded Atypique.
“Atypique is meant to push the limits of the ready-to-drink industry by offering outside-the-box, beyond-the-normal-standard products, and this collaboration will allow the brand to continue to do just that,” he said. “I can't wait to see where this will take Atypique.”
Atypique comes in the varieties of spritz, margarita, gin and tonic, mojito, spiced rum and cola, red sangria, amaretto sour, gin, aperitif, and whiskey. The beverages have less sugar than their alcoholic counterparts, according to Station Agro-Biotech. Calories per 355-ml serving range from 15 for whiskey to 80 for margaritas.
The mini-tender offer from TRC Capital is subject to a number of conditions, according to KDP. They include TRC Capital’s ability to obtain debt financing that is sufficient, together with cash on hand, to consummate the offer. TRC Capital’s offer seeks less than 5% of KDP’s outstanding common stock, thus avoiding many disclosure requirements and procedural protections on the Securities and Exchange Commission. TRC Capital offered to buy the 4 million shares at $32.85 net per share in cash, which is nearly a 6% discount to the closing price of $34.88 per share on the Nasdaq on June 22.
