Schweppes Australia

OVERALL
Owned	JPN
Rating

Drinks manufacturer

In 2009 Cadbury Schweppes Australia sold its drinks operations (Schweppes Australia) to Japanese drinks giant, Asahi Breweries. In 2011 Asahi bought the juice and water business from P&N Beverages and added those brands to Schweppes' portfolio. Schweppes Australia operates seven manufacturing sites and 11 distribution sites across Australia, employing 1,500 people.

Company Ownership

Schweppes Australia Pty Ltd	AUS	website
Asahi Holdings (Australia) Pty Ltd       owns 100% of Schweppes Australia Pty Ltd	AUS	website	email
Holding company Asahi Beverages formed in 2014 when the company announced plans to integrate the operations of Schweppes Australia, Asahi Premium Beverages and Independent Liquor NZ. Asahi acquired Schweppes in 2009, and Independent Liquor, Charlie's Group, and the juice and water business of Australia's P&N Beverages in 2011.
Asahi Group Holdings Ltd           owns 100% of Asahi Holdings (Australia) Pty Ltd	JPN	website	email
Drinks, especially alcoholic Formerly known as Asahi Breweries, Asahi Group is Japan's #2 brewer, after Kirin. Founded 1889. Acquired Schweppes Australia in 2009. Bought NZ's Independent Liquor and Charlie's Group, and the juice and water business of Australia's P&N Beverages in 2011.

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Company Assessment

PRAISE	CRITICISM	INFORMATION
Schweppes Australia Pty Ltd
		Possible GM in brands This company makes Pepsi and Mountain Dew soft drinks under licence. These brands were rated 'red' in Greenpeace's 2011 Truefood Guide, signifying they may contain GM-derived ingredients. This includes products that either: contain GM derived ingredients; have no clear policy on GM-derived ingredients; and/or have ignored or refused Greenpeace's request for information regarding their policies on GM-derived ingredients. [Source 2011][More on Genetic Engineering] Environmental claims This company has envionmental claims on its website, including efforts in the areas of water conservation, reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and waste reduction. [Source 2012][More on Environmental Claims] GM-Free brands Brands owned by this company were rated 'green' in Greenpeace's 2011 Truefood Guide, signifying a clear policy on excluding GM-derived ingredients, including oils derived from GM crops, and animal products from animals fed on GM crops. [Source 2011][More on Genetic Engineering]
Asahi Holdings (Australia) Pty Ltd
Australian Packaging Covenant signatory Signatory to the Australian Packaging Covenant, a voluntary agreement to encourage waste minimisation. [Source 2017][More on Packaging]	Opposing a CDS In 2013 Coca-Cola Amatil, Schweppes Australia (part of Asahi Beverages) and Lion Pty Ltd filed proceedings in the Federal Court challenging the legal validity of the Northern Territory's Container Deposit Scheme (CDS). Other large bottlers like Fosters and Diageo have not joined the court case. A CDS has been proven worldwide to be the best way to increase collection and recycling. The Boomerang Alliance estimates a CDS would increase recovery by 80%. [Source 2013][More on Governance]	Water mining in Australia Victorian farmer Tim Carey successfully applied to change the source of 19 million litres of his existing licence from surface water to groundwater, and from agricultural to commercial purposes. This allowed him to truck the water to a bottling plant run by Mountain H2O, owned by Asahi. In 2018 residents of Stanley, Victoria, lost a four-year court battle to stop the farmer bottling local groundwater for Asahi. The residents were left with a A$90,000 bill for legal costs. [Source 2018][More on Habitats] Organic products Phoenix Organics soft drinks and juices are certified organic by BioGro, and Mountain Goat beer has an organic option. However these only represent a tiny fraction of this company's total beverage sales. [Source 2018][More on Eco-Certification] Alcohol - direct involvement Directly involved in the manufacture, distribution or sale of alcohol as a core business. [More on Product Safety] No tax paid in 2016/7 According to data released by the Australian Tax Office in Dec 2018, this company was one of 2,159 local and foreign-based companies that paid no tax in Australia in 2016-17. Please note however that companies pay income tax on profits, not revenue (total income). While some companies use tax havens and loopholes to avoid paying their fair share of tax in Australia, other companies that paid no tax have perfectly legitimate reasons. [Source 2018][More on Finance]
Asahi Group Holdings Ltd
CDP Climate A List CDP's 2016 report "Out of the starting blocks" reveals which companies around the world are doing the most to combat climate change. This company is included on the A List. [Source 2016][More on Climate Change]	Supply chain practices in China This company received a score of 2.5/100 (retrieved 14-Feb-2018) in the Corporate Information Transparency Index (CITI), a system for evaluating supply chain practices in China, particularly in regards to environmental management and water pollution. Scores are calculated using government compliance data, online monitoring data, and third-party environmental audits, as well as trends in the environmental performance of factories in the company's supply chains. [Source 2018][More on Habitats] 'E' rating at rankabrand.org Rank a Brand searches the websites of brands for the answers to carefully targeted questions. From this they calculate sustainability scores based on the themes of environment, climate, labor issues, and transparency. Brands owned by this company received an 'E', the lowest possible score. [Source 2017][More on Sustainability Reporting]	Sustainable Business Activities Activities include reducing CO2 emissions, FSC certified forest management, and donations to environmental protection schemes. [Source 2010][More on Habitats] FSC certification In Nov 2011 Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) recertified Asahi's Shobara and Miyoshi forests in Japan to the Forest Stewardship Council's standard for responsible forest management. Asahi bought the forested properties during World War II. They have been FSC certified since 2001. [Source 2011][More on Forests] GM-Free brands Asahi's flagship beer brand, Asahi Super Dry, rated 'green' in the Greenpeace's 2010 Truefood Guide, signifying a clear policy on excluding GM-derived ingredients, including oils derived from GM crops, and animal products from animals fed on GM crops. [Source 2010][More on Genetic Engineering] FSC certification This company holds Forest Stewardship Council Chain of Custody Certification, and sells products certified as FSC 100%. [Source 2017][More on Forests] Climate action commitments As listed on the We Mean Business website, this company has committed to the following climate action initiatives: adopt a science-based emissions reduction target. [Source 2017][More on Climate Change] UN Global Compact participant The United Nations Global Compact asks companies to embrace, support and enact, within their sphere of influence, a set of 10 values in the areas of human rights, labour standards, the environment, and anti-corruption. However it's non-binding nature has been widely criticised, and many signatory corporations continue to violate the Compact's values. [Source x][More on Sustainability Reporting] High-biomass sugarcane Asahi Breweries is developing 'high-biomass sugarcane' or 'Monster Cane', designed to produce ethanol without sacrificing sugar output. Could be seen as a positive as ethanol is carbon-neutral with CO2 released in the combustion of the fuel offset by the CO2 captured by plants through photosynthesis. Critics also say ethanol is no solution to global warming if massive inputs of fossil fuels are required to grow the crops and power the facilities used to produce ethanol and land is taken from suppling crops for food and feed. [Source 2006][More on Climate Change] Alcohol - direct involvement Directly involved in the manufacture, distribution or sale of alcohol as a core business. [Source x][More on Product Safety]

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Schweppes Australia sold to Asahi Breweries (Japan) for $1.2 billion
13th Mar 2009 — Drinks giant Asahi Breweries has bought Schweppes Australia for $1.2 billion, in the latest Japanese raid on an Australian food and drinks company. This is the fourth buy-out of an Australian company by a Japanese brewer in just over a year, following Kirin's acquisition of Dairy Farmers and National Foods, and Suntory's successful bid for Frucor. Australia was the last country where Cadbury maintained a drinks operation. US-based Coca-Cola Company relinquished its negotiation right regarding the takeover. Asahi Breweries will complete the deal by the end of April 2009   [source]

Cadbury Schweppes plc demerger
7th May 2008 — On May 7, Cadbury Scweppes plc split into 2 companies, UK based confectionery makers Cadbury plc, and American soft drink company Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc.   [source]