[Whitbread acquired Costa in 1995 for £19m when it had 39 shops. It now has
more than 2,400 outlets and is embarking on an overseas expansion.]
[On the one hand £3.9bn is an undeniably rich valuation and likely far better than Costa
could achieve as an independently listed company, valuing its earnings higher than those of the mighty Starbucks.]
https://news.sky.com/story/whitbread...-39bn-11486222
Mega sale to Coca Cola.