Acquisition

Nichols PLC 10 April 2007 Date: Embargoed until 07.00hrs, Tuesday 10 April 2007 Contacts: John Nichols, Executive Chairman Brendan Hynes, Group Finance Director Nichols plc Telephone: 01925 222222 Website: www.nicholsplc.co.uk Alistair Mackinnon-Musson Nicola Savage Hudson Sandler Telephone: 020 7796 4133 Email: [email protected] Photographs available: On request from Hudson Sandler, as above Nichols plc Acquisition of Cariel Soft Drinks Nichols plc, the soft drinks group, is pleased to announce the acquisition of the cold soft drinks on draught business, Cariel Soft Drinks. Nichols plc is a highly focused soft drinks and dispensed cold drinks business, comprising two operations: 1) Soft Drinks (sales and marketing of the Vimto brand throughout the world, where it is now available in over 65 countries and of the Panda & Sunkist brands in the UK) and 2) Dispense Systems (namely the Cabana & Beacon cold soft drinks on draught 'dispense' businesses) Based in Dunblane, Scotland and with an annual turnover of £1.7m, Cariel holds a key position in its marketplace north of the border and, when combined with Nichols' existing Scottish Cabana operation, will cement the Group's position as the third largest operator in the dispense sector in the UK. The purchase of Cariel Soft Drinks also demonstrates the Board's continued focus on its strategy of growing both of the Group's core operations, Soft Drinks and Dispense Systems. Commenting, John Nichols, said: 'I am delighted to welcome Cariel to the Group. We've been making excellent progress in our Dispense Systems Operation, so this acquisition fits perfectly and helps to underpin our market position in the UK dispense sector, where we're the third largest operator'. -ENDS- This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange