Orangina goes for €2.6bn

Private equity houses Blackstone Group and Lion Capital have sold soft drinks maker Orangina Schweppes to Japanese brewer Suntory in a €2.6bn deal.

The two buyout firms had acquired the group for US$2.6bn in 2006, investing around US$600m of equity.

Suntory, which produces whisky, beer and iced tea, is looking to expand into Europe.