Beverage producer Cott to buy PE-backed DS Services for $1.25 bln

Cott Corp (NYSE: COT) (TSX: BCB) has agreed to acquire DSS Group Inc, the parent company to DS Services of America Inc, a water and coffee direct-to-consumer services provider in the United States. The acquisition, which is expected to close in January 2015, is priced at around US$1.25 billion. Among the sellers in the deal is U.S. private equity firm Crestview Partners, which invested in DS Services in 2013. Based in Toronto and Tampa, Florida, Cott is a producer of beverages. It said the acquisition will help accelerate the company's diversification outside of carbonated soft drinks and shelf stable juices.

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