31 Dec 2025 SA’s Twizza sold to India’s Varun Beverages in R2.1bn deal

Varun Beverages, led by Indian billionaire Ravi Jaipuria, is accelerating its African expansion with the acquisition Twizza for roughly $125-million.

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Local soft drink manufacturer Twizza has been sold in an all-cash deal to Indian beverage giant Varun Beverages, marking the end of a two-decade chapter for one of the Eastern Cape’s most recognisable challenger brands.

Varun Beverages, PepsiCo’s largest franchise bottler outside the US, has announced that its SA subsidiary, The Beverages Company (BevCo), will acquire 100% of Twizza at an enterprise value of approximately R2.1-billion.

The transaction is expected to be completed on or before 30 June 2026, subject to regulatory approvals, including competition authorities in South Africa, Botswana and Eswatini.

Once finalised, Twizza will become a step-down subsidiary of Varun Beverages.

From Komani roots to continental expansion

Twizza was founded in 2003 in Queenstown, now Komani, by entrepreneur Ken Clark, who set out to supply affordable carbonated soft drinks to townships and small retailers often underserved by major beverage brands.

What began as a local operation quickly gained traction as demand spread beyond the Eastern Cape.

Over time, Twizza expanded its manufacturing footprint, opening a facility in Middelburg in 2012 and later establishing a Cape Town plant in 2015. Today, the company operates three production facilities in Komani, Middelburg and Cape Town, forming a strategic inland-coastal manufacturing network.

The combined annual production capacity across the three plants is estimated at about 100-million cases. The business also includes backward integration at all sites, with five preform lines and a closure line, giving Twizza greater control over key inputs.

Financial past

According to disclosures referenced by Varun Beverages, Twizza reported turnover of approximately R1.689-billion in its most recent financial year. During that period, the company sold around 71 million eight-ounce (238mm) cases of non-alcoholic beverages across its own branded portfolio.

This operational scale and established distribution footprint are central to the acquisition, as Varun Beverages looks to deepen its presence in Southern Africa and strengthen its non-alcoholic beverage offering alongside existing PepsiCo products bottled by BevCo.

Varun Beverages’ growing African footprint

The Twizza acquisition builds on Varun Beverages’ broader expansion strategy across the continent. In 2024, the company acquired BevCo, consolidating PepsiCo bottling and distribution rights in South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini, with extended reach into neighbouring markets.

Company disclosures indicate that South Africa has been one of the faster-growing markets within Varun Beverages’ international portfolio, recording mid double-digit growth in recent periods.

The purchase of Twizza adds local manufacturing capacity, an established house brand, and deeper penetration into price-sensitive segments of the market.

A new chapter

Clark’s journey is a remarkable one. Starting out in Dordrecht with just five cows, he built Crickley Dairy and later grew Twizza into what it is today.

He remains executive chair of the business, with day-to-day operations overseen by his son, Lisle Clark.

While the sale marks a significant shift in ownership, Twizza’s Eastern Cape origins and operational base remain central to its identity as it transitions into a larger multinational bottling network.

As household budgets remain under pressure across South Africa, the integration of a locally built brand into a global beverage group represents a notable moment for both the regional economy and the country’s competitive soft drinks market.

Source: Komani.co.za, AfricaBusinessInsider

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