Innocent Drinks, the UK drinks group in which Coca-Cola Co. owns a majority stake, has decided to stop selling its veg and noodle pots, marking its exit from food.
The company launched its Veg Pots in 2008, a year before Coke first invested in the business. At the time, Innocent said it was looking to help consumers "struggling to find meals that are good to eat, but also healthy and quick".
Go deeper with GlobalData
In 2013, with Coke now a majority shareholder, Innocent extended the line with a range of Asian noodle pots in a bid to tap into Asian street food, which it said was "one of the UK's fastest-growing trends".
However, a spokesperson said Innocent had decided to axe the lines to focus on plans to grow its drinks range.
"Since we launched Innocent in 1999, our focus has always been on making healthy, delicious, natural drinks. We’ve got some really exciting plans for our drinks over the coming years, as we expand into new countries and continue to innovate and develop new great tasting drinks. To support this growth we have made the decision to step away from the food market and say a fond farewell to our veg and noodle pot ranges from May 2015," the spokesperson said. "We are working closely with our suppliers and retailers to make sure this is managed in a seamless way."
Paul Brown, the general manager of Innocent's food arm, will leave the business to set up a new food brand called Bol, the spokesperson added.
