Zhong Guo Jing Ying Bao·2025-09-05 11:44Group 1: Mergers and Acquisitions - Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) announced the acquisition of JDE Peet's for €15.7 billion (approximately $18.2 billion) to create a global coffee company [1] - Coca-Cola is considering selling its coffee brand Costa, having initiated preliminary talks with potential buyers [1][4] - The coffee market is experiencing a wave of mergers, with 60% of consumer goods executives expecting to sell assets in the next three years [5][6] Group 2: Market Dynamics - The Chinese coffee market is shifting, with local brands rising and first-tier cities becoming saturated, while lower-tier cities are emerging as growth areas [2] - JDE Peet's reported a strong organic sales growth of 23.8% in China, contributing to a global sales increase of 7.9% [4] - Starbucks is exploring the sale of a portion of its Chinese business, with over 20 institutions expressing interest [1][6] Group 3: Competitive Landscape - The competitive environment for Costa is challenging, leading to its potential sale by Coca-Cola due to poor performance and lack of synergy with its core business [5] - Local brands like Luckin Coffee are expanding internationally, increasing pressure on established brands like Peet's [4][6] - Starbucks is adapting its strategy in China, focusing on maintaining a significant equity stake to ensure quality control and brand integrity [8]