Acquisition & AGM Statement

Nichols PLC
11 May 2005









Date:           Embargoed until 11am, Wednesday 11 May 2005



Contacts:       John Nichols, Chairman
                Brendan Hynes, Finance Director
                Nichols plc
                Telephone:      [phone]



                Alistair Mackinnon-Musson
                Philip Dennis
                Hudson Sandler
                Telephone: [phone]
                Email: [e-mail]





                                  Nichols plc

                          Acquisition & AGM Statement


John Nichols Chairman of Nichols plc, the soft drinks group, made the following
statement at the company's Annual General Meeting held today:



'We are pleased to announce we have acquired the soft drinks on draught
business, Beacon Soft Drinks.  Based in Brighton and with annual turnover of
£3.5m, Beacon holds a key position on the South coast and, when combined with
our existing Cabana soft drinks on draught operation, it will cement the Group's
position as a major player in the soft drinks dispense market in the UK.



The purchase of Beacon Soft Drinks also demonstrates the Board's continued focus
on its strategy of growing the Group's core operations following the sale of
Nichols Foods and Stockpack in 2004 and the acquisition of Panda soft drinks in
January 2005.



The integration of the Panda soft drinks brand into our Soft Drinks Division has
continued to progress well.  The Board is also pleased with the results achieved
to date, which remain in line with our initial expectations.



As mentioned in the Preliminary statement in March, we continue to anticipate
sales of around £10m from the Panda brand in 2005 but with a limited impact on
profits this year, due to the costs associated with integrating the brand into
our distribution infrastructure.



In overall terms, despite market conditions remaining fiercely competitive,
Group trading since the Preliminary results has remained in line with our
expectations.'



                                    - ENDS -





The Group has two principal operations:



Soft Drinks (primarily involved in the sale of soft drinks, including Vimto,
throughout the world and Panda and Sunkist in the UK) and



Beverage Systems (Cabana, soft drinks on draught and Balmoral, supplier of hot
beverage systems)


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