Coca-Cola bottling giants to merge

Three bottlers that serve Coca-Cola Co. are merging in a deal designed to lower costs for the beverage giant amid softened demand for carbonated drinks.

The combination of Coca-Cola Erfrischungsgetranke AG, Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. and Coca-Cola Iberian Partners SA creates a Western European firm dubbed Coca-Cola European Partners Plc, according to USA Today.

Combined, the company would have about $12.6 billion in yearly revenue with $1.6 billion in operating profit.

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