Merseyside-based Vimto and soft drinks firm Nichols plc said its 2025 revenue increased 1.3% to £175 million as the company “successfully moved to a lower revenue but margin enhancing concentrate model in Africa.”
In a trading update, Nichols said it delivered “a year of further strategic progress during FY25 and expects to report revenue and adjusted profit before tax for the year in line with current market expectations.”
The firm said: “International Packaged revenue was in line with FY24, with 2% growth on a like-for-like basis following the success of the ongoing strategic shift towards a margin enhancing, but lower revenue, concentrate model across several African markets.
“Africa performed ahead of expectations, with like-for-like growth of 10%, partially offset by the Middle East due to the phasing of shipments following an earlier Ramadan in 2025, as previously announced.
“Aligned to our strategy, Out of Home (OoH) revenue was consistent year-on-year, following the exit of the low margin Starslush business and the focus on driving profitability to contribute to Group bottom-line performance.
“Gross margins remained strong, in line with last year, with inflationary pressures offset by a disciplined and robust focus on cost management enhanced by the implementation of the new ERP system.”
In its outlook, Nichols said: “The Group continues to benefit from its asset-light, diversified business model, with an established and strong UK market position complemented by attractive growth opportunities across the International business.
“Within the UK Packaged business, the Group remains focused on driving growth through a combination of extending its core ranges whilst investing in innovation and category expansion. In International, the Group is continuing to develop in new and targeted markets with the ongoing shift to the higher-margin concentrate model in Africa remaining a focus in the year ahead.
“Given the strength of its financial position and clear growth opportunities in the UK and internationally, the Group is confident in the outlook for 2026 and remains well placed to deliver its stated medium-term strategic plans and financial ambitions, driving value for shareholders. “
Nichols CEO Andrew Milne said: “During FY25 we continued to execute our strategic plans effectively. We delivered meaningful progress in Africa as we continued our shift to a higher margin concentrate model in key markets, while our focus on innovation continues to appeal to new consumers in the Middle East.
“Our UK Packaged business continues to deliver a strong performance, reflecting the enduring appeal of the iconic Vimto brand and supported by new product development, including our Wonderfuel squash proposition which launched in March.
“We have a number of exciting plans across our markets in the year ahead and remain focused on driving further progress to deliver our stated medium-term ambitions, leveraging the strength of the Vimto brand, the Group’s diversified business model and strong financial position.”