Nichols Valuation Multiples

Founded in 1886, Atlanta-headquartered Coca-Cola is the world’s largest nonalcoholic beverage company, with a strong portfolio of 200 brands covering key categories including carbonated soft drinks, water, sports, energy, juice, and coffee. Together with bottlers and distribution partners, the company sells finished beverage products bearing Coca-Cola and licensed brands through retailers and food-service locations in more than 200 countries and regions globally. Coca-Cola generates around two thirds of its total revenue overseas, with a significant portion from emerging economies in Latin America and Asia-Pacific.

With a 150-year-plus history, Nestle is the largest food and beverage manufacturer in the world by sales, generating roughly CHF 90 billion in annual revenue. Its diverse product portfolio includes brands such as Nescafe, Maggi, Nespresso, and Purina. The company employs 270,000 people around the world and has a vast portfolio of global products, with more than 30 brands each achieving more than CHF 1 billion in sales annually and a geographic presence that spans 185 countries.

PepsiCo is a global leader in snacks and beverages, owning well-known household brands including Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Gatorade, Lay’s, Cheetos, and Doritos, among others. The company dominates the global savory snacks market and also ranks as the second-largest beverage provider in the world (behind Coca-Cola) with diversified exposure to carbonated soft drinks, or CSD, as well as water, sports, and energy drink offerings. Convenience foods account for approximately 58% of its total revenue, with beverages making up the rest. Pepsi owns the bulk of its manufacturing and distribution capacity in the US, but uses bottlers overseas for beverages. International markets made up 40% of both total sales and operating profits in 2024.

Anheuser-Busch InBev is the largest brewer in the world and one of the world's top five consumer product companies, as measured by EBITDA. The company's portfolio contains six of the top 10 beer brands by volume, according to Euromonitor, and we estimate it distributes 23 brands with retail sales over $1 billion. AB InBev was created by the 2008 merger of Belgium-based InBev and US-based Anheuser-Busch. The firm holds a 62% economic interest in Ambev, an 87% stake in Budweiser APAC, and in 2016 it acquired SABMiller.

Unilever is a diversified beauty, wellbeing, and personal care (44% of 2024 sales by value), homecare (20%), and packaged food (36%) company. Its brands include Dove personal-care products, Knorr soups and sauces, Hellmann's mayonnaise, Axe and Rexona deodorants, and TRESemme haircare. The firm has been acquisitive in recent years; notable purchases include Paula's Choice, Liquid I.V., Horlicks, and Wild deodorants. The company derives 58% of its sales from emerging markets and 42% from developed markets. The US is its largest market, accounting for around 20% of sales, followed by India, which accounts for 11% of sales.

Mondelez has operated independently since its split from the former Kraft Foods North American grocery business in October 2012. The firm is a leading player in the global snack enclave with a presence in the biscuit (49% of sales as of the end of fiscal 2024), chocolate (31%), gum/candy (11%), beverage (3%), and cheese and grocery (6%) aisles. Mondelez's portfolio includes well-known brands like Oreo, Chips Ahoy, Halls, and Cadbury. The firm derives around one-third of its revenue from developing markets, more than one-third from Europe, and the remainder from North America.

Monster Beverage is a leader in the energy drink category within the nonalcoholic ready-to-drink beverage market, generating two thirds of revenue in the US and Canada. The well-known Monster trademark includes brands such as Monster Energy, Monster Ultra, Java Monster, and Juice Monster. The firm also owns other energy drink brands, such as Reign, NOS, Burn, Bang and Mother, and brews and distributes beers and flavored malt beverages following the acquisition of a craft brewer in 2022. Monster controls branding and innovation but outsources beverage manufacturing and packaging to copackers and finished goods distribution to bottlers in the global Coca-Cola system (pursuant to a 20-year agreement inked in 2015). Coke is the largest shareholder of Monster with a 19.5% stake.

Founded in 1996, Nongfu Spring is a leading beverage producer with products primarily in the packaged water, ready-to-drink tea, juice, coffee, and functional beverages sectors in China. It holds the number-one share in the bottled water market; this segment contributed approximately 40% of the firm’s revenue and EBIT in 2024.

Hindustan Unilever Ltd is an Indian consumer goods company. The firm offers different brands from distinct categories, from cosmetics and hygienic items, including detergents, soaps, shampoos, skincare, toothpaste, and deodorants, to food and beverages (tea, coffee, packaged foods). Its product portfolio contains household brands such as Lux, Lifebuoy, Pepsodent, Closeup, Pureit, Axe, Brooke Bond, Bru, Knorr, Kissan, Pond's, Vaseline, Lakme, Dove, Clinic Plus, Sunsilk, Kwality Wall's, Surf Excel, Rin, Wheel, and Fair and Lovely. The company's segments include Home Care, Beauty & Wellbeing, Personal Care, Foods, and others. Geographically, it generates a majority of its revenue from India.

Danone is a global food and beverage industry leader with more than EUR 27 billion annual revenue. Its operations are organized into three broad segments: essential dairy and plant-based products, representing just over half of group revenue; specialized nutrition; and bottled water. The firm's portfolio includes well-known brands such as Danone/Dannon dairy products, Alpro plant-based dairy, Aptamil infant milk formula, Evian and Volvic bottled water, and leading medical nutrition brands.

CCEP is the second-largest bottling partner in the Coca-Cola system by volume, behind Coca-Cola Femsa, and primarily operates in developed Europe, Australasia, and Southeast Asia. In 2025, CCEP sold 3.9 billion unit cases of beverages, which we estimate equates to roughly 9% of the global Coke system volume.TCCC owns 19% of the equity of CCEP, Olive Partners, a holding company of bottling operations, owns a further 36%, and the remaining 45% is free float.

Keurig Dr Pepper was established in 2018 following a merger between Keurig Green Mountain Coffee and Dr Pepper Snapple. The company manufactures and distributes coffee systems (including coffee brewers and single-serve coffee pods) under the Keurig and Green Mountain brands, as well as ready-to-drink beverages including flavored (non-cola) sparkling soft drinks under well-known brands such as Dr Pepper, Snapple, and Canada Dry. The company controls production and route to market for its own brands through in-house manufacturing plants and distribution infrastructure and leverages these facilities to manufacture and distribute for third-party coffee and beverage brands via licensing and partnership agreements. The US and Canada make up 95% of revenue, with the rest from Mexico.

Grupo Nutresa SA is a processed food company that operates through eight business units: Cold Cuts, Biscuits, Chocolates, Tresmontes Lucchetti, Coffee, Retail Food, Ice Cream, and Pasta. The company's revenue comes from food products, Beverage, and others. The majority of the company's production and sales take place in Colombia.

Hershey is a leading US confectionery manufacturer (around a $54 billion market, according to Euromonitor), controlling around 36% of the domestic chocolate aisle. Beyond its namesake label, the firm's portfolio has expanded over the last 85 years and now comprises 100 brands, including Reese's, Kit Kat, Kisses, and Ice Breakers. Hershey's products are sold in about 80 countries, albeit with just a high-single-digit percentage of sales coming from markets outside the US, including Brazil, India, and Mexico. The firm has sought inorganic opportunities to extend its reach beyond its core confectionery business, adding Amplify Snack Brands and its Skinny Pop ready-to-eat popcorn to its portfolio, as well as Pirate Brands and Dot's Pretzels over the past few years.

Sysco is the largest US foodservice distributor with 18% share of the highly fragmented $377 billion domestic market. It distributes roughly 500,000 food and nonfood products to restaurants (60% of fiscal 2025 revenue), education and government buildings (8%), healthcare facilities (8%), travel and leisure (7%), and other locations (17%) where individuals consume away-from-home meals. In fiscal 2025, 70% of the firm’s revenue was derived from its US foodservice operations, while its international (18%), quick-service logistics (10%), and other (2%) segments contributed the rest.

Foshan Haitian Flavouring and Food Company was founded in 1955 through the consolidation of 25 condiment producers in Foshan, Guangdong province of China. The company mainly manufactures soy sauces, oyster sauces, dipping sauces, and seasoning sauces. It is the leading condiment producer with number-one market share in soy sauces and oyster sauces in China.

Spun off from Roche in 2000, Givaudan is one of the world's leading flavor and fragrance manufacturers, with a presence in more than 80 countries. It sources more than 11,000 different ingredients from over 100 countries. The company serves end consumer markets with fragrances for personal, home, and laundry care brands, including prestige perfumes. In flavors, customers are in beverages, savory, snacks, sweet goods, and dairy. Givaudan has nearly 10,000 employees, and its perfumery team is the largest in the industry.

Ajinomoto was founded in 1909, and it began manufacturing the world’s first umami seasoning, MSG, made from amino acids. It has since grown to be one of the top manufacturers of sauces and seasonings and has diversified into frozen foods and the manufacture of other amino acid-based materials. Its sauces and seasonings are sold across Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Americas and are found in most supermarkets, making up approximately 60% of its revenue. The remaining 40% is roughly divided into the healthcare and others segment and the frozen food segment. Its healthcare and others segment also includes functional materials, which include an organic resin material, Ajinomoto Build-up Film, which is currently the industry standard for ABF substrates for semiconductors.

Nestle India Ltd is a subsidiary of Nestle of Switzerland with business divided into milk products and nutrition, beverages, prepared dishes and cooking aids, chocolate and confectionery, and vending food services. Milk products and nutrition consist of nutritional products for infants and pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. The Powdered and Liquid Beverages product division sells tea and instant coffee under the Nestea, Nescafe Classic, and Nescafe Gold brands. Prepared dishes and cooking aids comprise food-enriching flavors under the Maggi brand. The Confectionery products in chocolate and confectionery are KitKat, Munch Nuts, and Nestle Alpino. The company's business activity falls within a single operating segment, namely Food.

Swiss-based Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Spruengli is a manufacturer of premium chocolate. Key brands include Lindt, Lindor, Ghirardelli, Russell Stover, Whitman's, and Caffarel. The company bought US-based Russell Stover, its largest-ever acquisition, in 2014. It derives the bulk of its sales from Europe (47% of its consolidated base) but also competes in North America (40%) and the rest of the world (13%). The company operates 11 manufacturing plants in Europe and the United States. Its distribution network includes more than 550 own stores.

In July 2015, Kraft merged with Heinz to create one of North America's largest food and beverage manufacturers. Beyond its namesake brands, its portfolio includes Oscar Mayer, Velveeta, and Philadelphia. While the retail channel drives around 85% of its total sales, the firm also maintains a growing foodservice presence. Outside North America, Kraft Heinz's global reach encompasses a distribution network in Europe and emerging markets, which accounts for around 25% of its consolidated sales base. The company's products are sold in more than 190 countries and territories.

Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group is the largest dairy products producer in China, with the majority of revenue (around 70%) coming from the liquid milk segment. The company also manufactures ice cream, milk powder, and cheese products. Some flagship lineups include Satine, Yili Pure Milk, Ambrosial, and Changqing. The company also expands its overseas presence through setting up R&D centers and acquiring foreign dairy brands such as Westland in New Zealand and Chomthana in Thailand.

Church & Dwight is the leading global producer of baking soda. Its portfolio extends beyond its legacy category to include laundry products, cat litter, oral care, deodorant, and nasal care, all sold under the Arm & Hammer brand. Its brands also include Batiste, OxiClean, Vitafusion, Hero, and TheraBreath, which, together with Arm & Hammer, account for around 70% of its annual sales and profits. Most recently, the firm added Touchland and its hand sanitizer business to its fold. Even as it works to expand its product reach, Church & Dwight still derives around 80% of its sales from its home market in the US.

Yihai Kerry Arawana Holdings Co Ltd is engaged in research and development, production, and sales of kitchen food, feed ingredients, and oil technology products. The company operates through three segments: Kitchen Food; Feed raw materials and oil technology; and Others. The Kitchen Food segment covers household and industrial products, including edible oils, rice, flour, noodles, condiments, and related raw and auxiliary materials. The Feed raw materials and oil technology segment provides soybean meal, bran, rice bran meal, along with oil-based and oil-derived chemicals, nutritional products, and daily chemicals from palm oil and other oils. The Others segment is engaged in other businesses. It generates the majority of its revenue from the Kitchen Food segment.

Tyson Foods is a protein-focused food producer, selling raw chicken, beef, pork, and prepared foods. Chicken and beef are its two largest segments, composing about 40% and 30% of sales, respectively. Prepared foods constituted 18% of fiscal 2025 sales and include brands like Tyson, Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farm, Ball Park, and Sara Lee. However, most of these are in product categories rife with competition where Tyson does not have a massive market share lead. Tyson sells some products overseas, but the international segment accounts for just 4% of total revenue. The company is an active acquirer, with more recent years' purchases focused on international and food-service markets.

Coca-Cola HBC is the third-largest bottling partner in the Coca-Cola system by volume, behind Coca-Cola Femsa and Coca-Cola Europacific Partners. In 2025, CCHBC sold 2.9 billion unit cases of beverages. There is a long tail of Coca-Cola distributors, including brewers and independent operators with very small distribution territories.CCHBC is listed on the London Stock Exchange. Kar-Tess, a Luxembourg-based holding company, owns 23% of the equity of CCHBC, and Coca-Cola holds a further 21%. The remaining 56% is free float.

Arca Continental is a major bottler for Coca-Cola, generating 94% of sales and nearly all profits by manufacturing and distributing sodas and nonsparkling drinks under Coca-Cola brands, which it sells to retailers and foodservice providers in the US and Latin America. Food and snacks under Arca’s own brands make up the rest of its revenue. By region, Mexico remains the largest beverage market, contributing 43% of sales, followed by the US (34%), Peru (8%), Ecuador (4%), and Argentina (5%). Coca-Cola has a 20% stake in AC Beverages, the entity that holds Arca’s beverage assets in the US and Latin America.

General Mills is a global packaged-food company that produces snacks, cereal, convenient meals, dough, baking mixes and ingredients, pet food, and superpremium ice cream. Its largest brands are Nature Valley, Cheerios, Old El Paso, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, Blue Buffalo, and Haagen-Dazs. In fiscal 2025, 81% of its revenue was derived from the United States, although the company also operates in Canada, Europe, Australia, Asia, and Latin America. Although most of General Mills' products are sold through retail stores to consumers, the company also sells products to the foodservice channel and the commercial baking industry.

Varun Beverages Ltd is engaged in manufacturing, selling, bottling, and distribution of beverages of the Pepsi brand in geographically pre-defined territories of India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Zambia, Morocco, and Zimbabwe. Its brands include Seven-Up, Mountain Dew, Mirinda, Nimbooz, Tropicana Slice, and other related products. The firm generates a majority of its revenue within India.

The product of a merger between Jacobs Douwe Egberts and Peet’s Coffee in 2019, JDE Peet’s is the world’s largest pure-play coffee and tea group by revenue, with operations in more than 100 developed and emerging countries. Its portfolio of over 50 brands is the largest in the coffee and tea categories and includes global labels such as Peet’s, Jacobs, L’OR, Senseo, and Tassimo, regional brands like Douwe Egberts, Stumptown, Kenco, Moccona, Intelligentsia, OldTown, and Super, and local marks such as Maison du Cafe in France, Harris in Australia, and Mighty Leaf Tea in the US. The group has a diverse go-to-market approach across the consumer packaged goods, out-of-home, retail, and online sales channels. JDE Peet’s was listed on the Amsterdam stock exchange in 2020.

Associated British Foods is a diversified international food, ingredients, and retail group with 138,000 employees and operations in 56 countries across Europe, Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Australia. The group sells branded groceries, grows and processes sugar, supplies farmers with crop input and animal feed, and runs the multinational Primark clothing retail chain. It also supplies ingredients like bakers' yeast, enzymes, lipids, and cereal specialties. In fiscal 2025, approximately 36% of sales came from the UK, and Primark accounted for around 60% of operating profit.On Nov 4, 2025, ABF announced it has been conducting a strategic review to potentially separate the Primark and Food businesses. A final decision is expected within 12-18 months.

JBS NV is a protein food company, selling protein products, which include fresh and frozen cuts of beef, pork, lamb, fish, whole chickens, and chicken parts, to retailers (such as supermarkets, club stores and other retail distributors), and foodservice companies (such as restaurants, hotels, foodservice distributors and additional processors). The food products are marketed under different brands such as Swift, Just Bare, Pilgrim’s Pride, Sunnyvalley, Reserva Friboi, Great Southern, etc., globally. The company's reportable segments are Beef North America, which generates maximum revenue, Brazil, Seara, Pork USA, Pilgrim’s Pride, Australia, and Others. Geographically, it derives key revenue from North and Central America, followed by South America, Australia, Europe, and other regions.

WH Group is a holding company and the world’s largest vertically integrated producer of pork and related packaged meat products. Its revenue is mainly derived from activities undertaken by its China and US operations, which are respectively via 70.3%-owned Henan Shuanghui Investment & Development Company and wholly owned Smithfield Foods Inc. In the US, its key packaged meats brands, in which it has a 6% market share, include Nathan’s hot dogs, Armour, John Morrell, and Curly’s, while in China, products are mainly under the Shuanghui brand, where it also has a 25% market share. We expect the company’s operating profit to be split almost equally between the US and China in the future with a small contribution from Europe.

Grupo Bimbo SAB de CV is an international baking-products manufacturer. The company operates in over 22 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia. The firm's key product categories are packed bread, sweet baked goods, salty snacks, cookies, solutions (tortillas, pitas, wraps), prepacked foods, confectionery, and others. The key brands are Bimbo, Ideal, Ricolino, Oroweat, Arnold, Thomas, and Sara Lee. Grupo Bimbo has a large direct distribution network that allows the company to distribute products from its plants (based in Uruguay, Rio de Janeiro, China, Santiago de Chile, and Argentina) to sales centers and warehouses.

Britannia Industries Ltd is an Indian packaged-food company involved in the Manufacturing, trading, and selling food products. Its main product categories are biscuits, breads, dairy, cakes, and rusks. The biscuits product line offers sweet biscuits under the GoodDay brand, crackers under the Five thousand fifty brands, nutritional and digestive biscuits under the NutriChoice brand, and other products. The bread products segment offers whole-wheat breads, white sandwich breads, and bread assortments. The dairy product line sells cheese, milk, and yogurt under the Britannia brand. The cake segment offers bar cakes, muffins, and many more. The operating segment of the Company is identified to be Foods.

Henan Shuanghui Investment & Development Co Ltd is a China-based meat processing company. It is principally engaged in the business of slaughtering, meat processing, food processing, packaging, and processing of egg products and aquatic products.

Mixue Group is a freshly-made drinks company. It is committed to providing value-for-money products to consumers, including freshly-made fruit drinks, tea drinks, ice cream, and coffee, typically priced around one U.S. dollar (approximately RMB6) per item. The company has two brands - a freshly-made tea drinks brand, Mixue, and a freshly-made coffee brand, Lucky Cup. Through a franchise model, it has cultivated a network of over 46,000 stores spanning China and 11 overseas countries. The company derives the majority of its revenue from mainland China.

Coca-Cola Consolidated Inc distributes, markets, and manufactures nonalcoholic beverages. It offers a range of nonalcoholic beverage products and flavors, including both sparkling and still beverages. Sparkling beverages are carbonated beverages, and the Company's principal sparkling beverage is Coca-Cola. Still beverages include energy products and non-carbonated beverages such as bottled water, ready-to-drink tea, ready-to-drink coffee, enhanced water, juices, and sports drinks. The Company has two operating segments: Nonalcoholic Beverages and All Other and . Key revenue is generated from Nonalcoholic Beverages.

Kerry Group is a leading taste and ingredient technology company and an innovation partner for the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical sectors. The company has more than 200 locations that supply clients in more than 50 countries. Its taste and nutrition unit earns around 70% of its revenue from developed countries and 30% from the developing world, servicing a wide range of sectors, such as meat, meals, snacks, dairy, drinks, and pharmaceuticals. Kerry has expanded through a combination of organic development and dozens of tuck-in acquisitions.

In its 135-plus-year history, McCormick has become the leading global manufacturer, marketer, and distributor of spices, herbs, extracts, seasonings, and other flavorings. Beyond consumers, McCormick's customer base includes quick-service restaurants, retail grocery chains, and other packaged food and beverage manufacturers. Its reach is extensive, with nearly 40% of sales generated beyond its home turf to 150 countries and territories. In addition to its namesake brand, the firm's portfolio includes Old Bay, Zatarain's, Thai Kitchen, Frank's RedHot, French's, and Cholula, among others.

BUA Foods PLC is involved in the food and fast-moving consumer goods business which processes, manufactures, and distributes food as well as packaged food. The company's business operations comprise five divisions, including Sugar, Flour, Pasta, Rice, and Edible Oils. It has four segments Flour segment, Sugar segment, Pasta segment, and Others. Maximum revenue is from sales of Flour.

Uni-President Enterprises Corp is food conglomerates in Asia. It produces and sells a comprehensive range of food products through its company and affiliates. Core business includes food manufacturing and investments in other related business. Product categories include feeds, flour, edible oils, soy sauce, meat products, instant noodles, bread, beverages, dairy products, frozen food, and health food. Through its network of 200 affiliates, its convenient stores, retail, logistics, finance, and recreation operations are located all across Taiwan, mainland China, and Southeast Asia.

Saputo is a dairy processor headquartered in Canada, with operations spanning the US, Australia and Argentina (international segment), and the UK (Europe segment). The company transforms raw milk into a wide range of dairy products, including cheeses, creams, and fluid milk. Saputo’s US operations account for the largest share of revenue at 46%, followed by Canada (27%), international (21%), and Europe (6%). Within its retail segment (49% of sales), Saputo owns notable brands such as Cathedral City and Armstrong. Beyond retail, the company serves the foodservice channel (33% of sales) and industrial customers (18%), providing ingredients and products for broader commercial use.

Busy Ming Group Co Ltd is principally engaged in the sale of snacks and beverages as well as the provision of related services. The company operates under the two brands: Ling Shi Hen Mang (Snacks Are Busy) and Zhao Yiming (Zhao Yiming Snacks). The majority of its revenue is derived from (i) sales of goods to franchisees and (ii) fees for franchising services. Geographically, it generates revenue only from the PRC.

Orkla ASA is a branded consumer goods company, originally from Norway. Its segments include Orkla Foods, Orkla Food Ingredients, Orkla Snacks, Orkla Health, Orkla India, Orkla Home & Personal Care, The European Pizza, Orkla House Care, Health and Sports Nutrition Group, Pierre Robert Group, and Lilleborg. It generates the majority of its revenue from Norway.

Tata Consumer Products Ltd is a manufacturer and supplier of consumer food and beverages. The company's products include tea, coffee, water, salt, pulses, spices, and ready-to-eat offerings. Its key beverage brands include Tata Tea, Tetley, Eight O'Clock Coffee, Tata Coffee Grand, and Himalayan Natural Mineral Water, among others. Its food portfolio includes brands such as Tata Salt, Ching's Secret, Smith & Jones, Tata Soulfull, Tata Sampann, and others. The company has organised its businesses into the Branded segment, which derives maximum revenue, and the Non-Branded segment. Branded Segment is further sub-categorised as India Business and International Business. Geographically, the company generates maximum revenue from its business in India and the rest from international markets.

Historically meat-focused, Hormel Foods broadened its lineup to include other protein offerings and became a branded food company. The firm sells its wares through multiple channels, including US retail (61.6% of fiscal 2025 sales), US foodservice (32.6%), and international (5.9%). By product, 73% of fiscal 2025 sales were from perishable food and 27% from shelf-stable. Major brands include Hormel, Spam, Jennie-O, Columbus, Applegate, Planters, and Skippy. Many of these hold the number one or two market share in their respective categories.

Mowi ASA is a Norway-based producer of farmed salmon, distributing salmon and other processed seafood globally. The company focuses on producing high-quality fish by producing its fish eggs and nurturing the fish in the early stages of their life. It operates in three business segments: Feed, Farming, and Sales & Marketing. Fish feed production comprises its two feed plants in Norway and Scotland. Farming includes a single operating segment composed of farming operations in Norway, Scotland, Canada, Chile, Ireland, the Faroe Islands, and Iceland, and Sales and Marketing is composed of two operating segments: Markets and Consumer Products. A majority of the company's revenue is generated from the Sales and Marketing business. Geographically, it derives maximum revenue from Europe.