It had to happen. Quirky, witty, healthy drinks producer Innocent has sold a stake in its company to a company giant. Coca Cola paid them £30m for around 15 percent of the company.

Innocent’s reason? The highly successful fruit smoothie producer wants capital to expand further. Coke’s reason? Well, Pepsi brought out its own smoothie brand a few years back and it bombed. This way, Coke gets into the smoothie market with a proven brand.

The Small but Perfect Fall – to the Mighty

Others have gone this way.Ice cream makers Ben and Gerry – renowned for the ‘Cherry Garcia’ flavour, named after legendary Grateful Dead guitarist, Gerry – sold a stake to Unilever in 2000; MacDonalds bought a stake in Pret a Manger, the ethical sandwich bar in 2001; even Body Shop – always strongly anti-big-business under Anita Roddick’s leadership – was taken over by the French l’Oreal in 2006.

In most cases, the ‘smaller companies’ say they have retained control and that the removal of financial constraints has helped them. They can spend their time identifying and chasing opportunities rather than trying to get finance.

However, old customers often feel ripped off.

In Innocent’s case it just seems a bit of a shame…

UK Daily Telegraph‘s coverage of the story.