Capri-Sun Group is to end a decade-long partnership with Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) and take over the sales and distribution of its pouch drinks in western Europe next year.
The company has hired 70 employees to support the transition to owning its sales and route-to-market, a process that will begin in March 2024.
In the UK, CCEP will continue to co-pack for Capri-Sun until the end of next year.
The group said the move was borne out of a desire to be “closer to its customers and consumers” and would “accelerate growth”.
It said: “This so-called ‘go direct’ strategy enables the Capri-Sun Group to be more agile and responsive in a fast-changing environment and allows a full focus on developing the Capri-Sun business.”
In the last five years, Capri-Sun Group has taken sales and distribution back in-house in Switzerland, Austria, the Middle East, China and Poland.
Roland Weening, CEO of Capri-Sun Group Holding AG, said the decision to split with CCEP had been mutually agreed.
He said: “We have concluded on both sides that the future needs both companies to focus on their own brands.”
Weening added Capri-Sun was planning to invest an additional €42m (£36m) in 2024 to support innovation and NPD on the brand, with recyclable pouches and additional low-sugar products in the pipeline.
“We are planning the launch of recyclable pouches as well as more low-sugar products, and we will continue to drive innovation further,” he said. “We will invest an additional €42m in 2024 to support these initiatives and the transition.”
A spokesperson for CCEP said: “We will work closely with Capri-Sun Group to ensure a smooth transition, with no anticipated disruption for customers or consumers.”
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