Coca-Cola(US:KO) 3 6 Ke·2025-09-23 01:00Group 1 - Coca-Cola is reportedly looking to sell the Costa Coffee store business while retaining control over its ready-to-drink (RTD) products [1][3][4] - Apollo Global Management, a potential buyer, has decided not to participate in the bidding process, indicating a lack of strong interest from other bidders as well [3][4] - The initial valuation for Costa Coffee during the sale process was approximately £2 billion (around 194 billion RMB) [3][4] Group 2 - Costa Coffee, acquired by Coca-Cola in 2018 for £3.9 billion, has expanded its business to over 4,000 locations globally, with a significant presence in the UK and Ireland [4][6] - In China, Costa's retail business is primarily managed separately from its RTD coffee, which is expected to remain under Coca-Cola's control [6][9] - The ready-to-drink coffee market in China is dominated by foreign brands, with Nestlé leading, followed by Starbucks and Costa [7][8] Group 3 - Costa Coffee's pricing strategy positions its products slightly above local competitors but below Starbucks, making it competitive in the market [7][8] - The RTD coffee products launched in China are developed with local preferences in mind, utilizing a collaborative team from both Coca-Cola and Costa [9][11] - The potential sale of Costa's store business raises questions about how Coca-Cola will continue to innovate and draw inspiration for its RTD products without the direct influence of the store operations [11][13] Group 4 - Coca-Cola's CEO has emphasized the importance of creating overall value for the ecosystem and consumers in any acquisition or divestiture strategy [13][14] - The coffee segment is recognized as a significant growth area within the beverage industry, and Coca-Cola aims to find deeper engagement in this market [14]