Which company acquired Costa Coffee in 2019?

The Coca-Cola Company acquired Costa Coffee in 2019.

Costa Coffee was founded in London in 1971 by brothers Bruno and Sergio Costa. It grew from a small coffee-roasting business into an international café chain, with stores and coffee products in many markets. Before Coca-Cola’s purchase, Costa was owned by the British hospitality group Whitbread.

Coca-Cola completed the acquisition in January 2019 for approximately £3.9 billion. The deal expanded Coca-Cola’s presence beyond ready-to-drink soft drinks into coffee shops, roasted coffee, vending, and packaged coffee products.

Costa Coffee continues to operate as a distinct brand rather than being renamed Coca-Cola Coffee. The acquisition is sometimes confused with Coca-Cola’s earlier purchases of juice, water, or enhanced-beverage companies, but Costa was specifically the company’s major coffee acquisition.