Innocent Smoothies

They're not selling "anything" to "anybody"; They're selling a small business to a larger business so that they can live comfortably for the rest of their
ives. Perfectly reasonable thing to do. It's not like selling your soul to the devil, you know!

Someone will say it is. #watchthisspace

Why does every company and entrepreneur always want to be a mega business? What is wrong in running a small or medium size business that is successful and desirable? Where the owner keeps a finger on the pulse of their business and takes pride in its products.

I am not sure that I would be prepared to sell anything to anybody if the price they offered was high enough.

Thing is they're not just selling a product but a lifestyle choice and that must have a risk of alienating their customers? What really gets my back up is when they stop production in this country and people lose their jobs.

And, of course, Ben and Jerry's is part of Unilever and you don't get much bigger than that!

Also, with Cadbury being taken over by Kraft, Green and Black is submerged in something even bigger. Did someone mention Liz Earle becoming part of Avon?

But it is bigger than that anno as L'Oreal has Nestle as a major shareholder and they will own the lot when the old lady dies. Nestle have taken over lots of brands and dumbed down the products, particularly lovely ice creams which now just taste like any other or so I am told. I boycott Nestle under all circumstances, even take my own inst coffee to hotels just in case.

I heared on the radio last week that Nestle have removed ready made beef products in 2 European countries but not the UK. As the products are the same wherever they are sold presumably they think they can get away with in the UK.

It's like the Body Shop selling out to L'Oreal and Green and Black selling out to Cadbury.

Hard work, clever marketing, successful outcome. Good luck to them.

Presumably the Innocent Smoothies will remain the same, regardless of who actually owns the company, and if that's the case, then I don't see a problem. (Nor if it isn't the case, actually).

If one built a house 20 years ago at X amount, spent lots of money improving it over the years, and then decided to sell it, I doubt anyone would object to it being sold at today's market value with an enjoyment of the profits. It could then be done all over again.

I think it is an expression of their success that we become emotionally attached to the brands.

Is this a recent thing? I thought it happened a while ago and was relieved to read that they still had some control over the business. Perhaps it's to get a more worldwide market which coca cola would help with [I'm in Dragon's Den land here, even though I don't watch it]. Aren't they very good to their work force as well? Which, hopefully won't move abroad totally [think other takeovers ]. Think The Body Shop sale was the one that hurt me the most.

It is a shame that in the end the lure / love of big money appears to change a business's core values! However that's capitalism at work..money it's said makes the world go round.
Apparently their originators will still have a voice in future decisions and a % of profits continue to go to charity.

I like to think that I would not 'sell out' (if I had something worth selling) but honestly do not know what I would do!

I think it's a shame. Very disappointing.

Not disappointed. It's how the world works. I'd probably do the same (and suspect most other gransnetters would too) if I'd worked hard building up a successful business and then wanted to retire on the proceeds.

Good luck to them, I say.

And let's hope the smoothies will stay as pure and delicious, but if they don't, that some other enterprising person starts all over again with a similar product.

And also gets to retire comfortably on the fruits of their work.

Pret a Manger did the same thing. (it might have been to Macdonalds). And Green and Blacks too.
I cant say i blame them. At the end of the day they are business people who have worked hard and cleverly developed their brand in a particular way. No more annual meetings with people sitting on the floor then.
Some of the junk food giants want to develop/acquire non-junky brands to improve their own image.
Innocent smoothies are delicious, particularly the apple and lime one. They do however contain a lot of sugar, just like fruit juice.

We were disappointed too*gm*. We liked the proclaimed ethics of the founders. Having said that, if coca cola offered me squillions for something I possessed, I think I would find it difficult to turn them down.