ZeroZero Infinity secures funding; Coca-Cola evaluates COSTA Coffee's China business

On February 11, Zhongju High-Tech Industry (Group) Co., Ltd. and Sichuan Weizimei Food Co., Ltd. held a strategic investment cooperation signing ceremony. Zhongju High-Tech Chairman Li Ruxiong, General Manager Yu Xiangyang, and Weizimei Chairman Chen Wei, among other representatives from both sides, attended the ceremony. Weizimei has long specialized in Sichuan-style compound seasonings. Going forward, the two parties will seize this signing as an opportunity to jointly focus on three core areas: expanding product categories, synergizing channel resources, and complementing production capacity layouts. (Zhongju High-Tech) Editor’s Comment: Zhongju High-Tech’s strategic investment in Weizimei centers on product category expansion, channel synergy, and production capacity complementarity. Zhongju can thus strengthen its position in the Sichuan-style compound seasoning segment, while Weizimei gains financial backing and channel credibility from a listed company—enabling both to jointly compete against industry leaders such as Tianwei Food and Yihai International and capture growth opportunities in hotpot base and Chinese compound seasonings. Coca-Cola is separately evaluating COSTA Coffee’s China business On February 10, John Murphy, Chief Financial Officer of The Coca-Cola Company, stated that although Costa Coffee has performed well in its core markets—including the UK, Ireland, and Western Europe—its China operations “have proven more challenging than we anticipated.” He emphasized that Coca-Cola retains 100% ownership of Costa and is currently reassessing the challenges facing its China business. Additionally, Murphy noted that the company will closely monitor Costa’s China performance throughout 2026. (Bloomberg) Editor’s Comment: This move implies that Costa’s China operations will not be sold or shuttered in the short term—but face mounting pressure for strategic adjustment. On one hand, competitors are expanding rapidly; on the other, Costa lags behind in localized product development and digital operations. To stem losses, it must accelerate transformation. Dutch soft drink giant Refresco acquires U.S. food and beverage company SunOpta On February 6, Dutch soft drink giant Refresco announced it would acquire U.S. food and beverage company SunOpta at $6.50 per share (approximately RMB 44.9). Refresco’s CEO stated, “Acquiring SunOpta significantly strengthens our market position in the rapidly growing plant-based beverage segment. This move further consolidates our presence and capabilities in the North American market and helps achieve a more balanced global geographic footprint.” (Just Food) Editor’s Comment: For the industry, the plant-based beverage sector sees yet another major consolidation by a heavyweight player—placing independent brands such as Oatly and Califia Farms under greater pressure in terms of distribution access and cost competitiveness. Further M&A activity is expected to accelerate. DQ and Papa John’s China operations may be sold On February 10, Bloomberg reported, citing informed sources, that FountainVest Partners—a prominent Asia-based private equity firm—is considering selling CFB Group, its franchise operator in Greater China. CFB operates brands including Papa John’s and DQ, operating over 1,800 stores across the region. If the transaction proceeds, CFB Group’s valuation could reach approximately $500 million (about RMB 3.5 billion). (Bloomberg)

(Foreign Publication Close Reading—with Audio) Bloomberg — NVIDIA to Invest $10 Billion! Will the Largest AI IPO in History Be Coming?

(Foreign Publication Close Reading—with Audio) Bloomberg — NVIDIA to Invest $10 Billion! Will the Largest AI IPO in History Be Coming? Nvidia Mulls $10 Billion Anthropic IPO Backing, Reuters Says Reuters: NVIDIA considers investing $10 billion in Anthropic’s IPO Audio included in official account: 1.1 Original Text Nvidia Corp. is considering investing as much as $10 billion in Anthropic PBC’s initial public offering, which could become the biggest IPO of all time, Reuters reported. Anthropic is seeking to raise as much as $100 billion in the offering, which would value the artificial intelligence company at around $2 trillion, Reuters said, citing unidentified people familiar with the situation. It is in talks to bring in Nvidia, the largest maker of AI processors, as an anchor investor, the news outlet said. Reuters reported that NVIDIA Corp. is considering investing up to $10 billion in Anthropic PBC’s initial public offering—a deal that could become the largest IPO ever. Citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter, Reuters stated that Anthropic aims to raise up to $100 billion through this offering, valuing the AI company at approximately $2 trillion. The news outlet added that Anthropic is in discussions to secure NVIDIA—the world’s largest AI chipmaker—as its cornerstone investor. 1.2 Key Explanations 1. considering /kənˈsɪdərɪŋ/ ・Usage: Present participle of the verb “consider,” meaning “to think about something carefully, especially before making a decision.” It is followed by a noun, pronoun, or gerund (doing), but never directly by an infinitive (to do). ・Example: They are considering expanding their business into Asia. (They are thinking seriously about extending their operations into Asia.)

Refresco Explores Potential $10 Billion IPO, Sources Say

21 hours ago

Netherlands-based Refresco is exploring a potential IPO valued over $10 billion, backed by owner KKR, serving major clients like Coca-Cola and PepsiCo across 85 global facilities.

reuters

2026-10-08

Refresco Explores Potential $10 Billion IPO, Sources Say

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