Which coffee company did The Coca-Cola Company acquire in 2018?

The Coca-Cola Company acquired Costa Coffee in 2018.

Costa Coffee began in London in 1971, when brothers Bruno and Sergio Costa established a coffee business that later developed into an international café and coffee-products company. Before Coca-Cola’s purchase, Costa was owned by Whitbread, the British hospitality group.

Coca-Cola announced the acquisition in 2018 and completed it after receiving the required approvals. The deal expanded Coca-Cola beyond traditional soft drinks into cafés, coffee shops, vending, ready-to-drink coffee and at-home coffee products. Costa continued operating as a recognizable coffee brand rather than being renamed Coca-Cola Coffee.

A common mix-up is confusing Costa with Starbucks or Dunkin’, which were not acquired by Coca-Cola. Costa’s British origin and café network were central to its value in the transaction, while Coca-Cola contributed global beverage distribution and marketing capabilities.