Clifford Chance has advised European Refreshments, Ireland, a subsidiary of The Coca-Cola Company, Atlanta/USA, on the acquisition of all shares in the unlisted Coca-Cola Erfrischungsgetränke AG (CCE AG), Berlin/Germany, not yet held by The Coca-Cola Company. The stake of around 17 per cent of the shares was previously held by shareholders of the former German Coca-Cola bottlers.

Between 2004 and 2007, Clifford Chance advised The Coca-Cola Company and Coca-Cola GmbH, Berlin, on the merger of those German Coca-Cola bottlers, which were still separate from CCE AG at the time, with CCE AG. The merged company employs more than 10,000 people. Presently, as sole bottler for Germany, CCE AG operates 24 bottling plants, distributes approximately 3.7 billion litres of non-alcoholic beverages a year and generated a turnover of nearly EUR 2.06 billion in 2012.

The parties have agreed not to disclose any details of the transaction.

The Clifford Chance team was led by partner Dr. Andreas Dietzel and comprised of counsel Prof. Dr. Thomas Gasteyer, counsel Nele Gorny, senior associate Dr. Lars Laeger and senior transaction lawyer Carina Soesanto (all Corporate, Frankfurt).