No longer a target, F&N wants turn at the trigger

Singapore

THE lion is awake, and it is thirsty. Freed from the constraints of its long association with Coca-Cola and newly backed by one of Thailand's richest men, Fraser and Neave (F&N) will be aggressively making up for lost time on the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) trail.

And its strategic thrust will be aimed at the fast-growing South-east Asia and non-carbonated drinks markets, in addition to continued focus on its 100Plus isotonic brand, F&N's chief executive for non-alcoholic beverages Ng Jui Sia told The Business Times this week as the company inked its acquisition of a 70 per cent stake in Malaysia's Yoke Food Industries (YFI).

"We're a bit late now today," Mr Ng said. "But my aim is the next few years, …