A number of investors were interesed in buying Szentkirályi, but the Pasquale family was the only one that saw to the businessʼs further development as a strategic investor and an equal, he added. He said capacity developments would be necessary for which the owners would supply funding. Balogh has been named chairman of CEMW.

Alessandro Pasquale said the future of the JV would be based on shared values, experience gained on different markets and the traditions of the Pasquale and Balogh families. Expanding the product palette, exporting the Hungarian brands and joint acquisitions are also planned, he added. The Pasquale family recently acquired Hungarian mineral water bottler Kékkuti Ásványvíz from Nestle through its Czech bottler Karlovarske Mineralni Vody.