Nestlé swallows Sweet Leaf Tea
Nestlé Waters North America, Inc., a subsidiary of the food giant Nestlé, has signed an agreement to acquire the Austin-based Sweet Leaf Tea Company, which owns Sweet Leaf and Tradewinds ready-to-drink iced tea brands. Its turnover is reported to total more than $53 million in 2010. Sweet Leaf Tea was founded in 1998 and sells naturally sweetened organic iced teas. Tradewinds, founded in 1993, specializes in brewed iced teas and tropical fruit juice drinks. This acquisition, which remains subject to applicable regulatory approval, will bolster Nestlé's beverage portfolio of bottled water to include high-quality iced teas, lemonades and juice drinks. Sales for Nestlé Waters North America topped $4 billion in 2010.