Dutch unions “surprised,” not worried about Keurig Dr Pepper takeover of JDE Peet’s

Dutch labor unions said Monday they were “surprised” by the announcement that U.S.-based Keurig Dr Pepper plans to acquire Amsterdam-listed JDE Peet’s, the parent company of Douwe Egberts and Pickwick, but added they are not worried about potential impacts on employees. The 15.7 billion euros (17 billion U.S. dollars) deal represents the largest acquisition ever in the non-alcoholic beverage sector.

Keurig Dr Pepper, owner of the Green Mountain coffee brand and a partner of Lavazza, said it plans to split into two publicly traded companies—one for coffee and one for soft drinks—after completing the acquisition.

JDE Peet’s shares surged more than 17 percent on Euronext Amsterdam, the biggest increase since its 2020 IPO, reaching an early three-year high above 31 euros per share.

Keurig Dr Pepper is based outside of Dallas in Plano, Texas. Shares were down 7.6 percent in pre-market trading.