Coca-Cola Co. to buy Chinese juice maker

BEIJING (Bloomberg) — Coca-Cola Co., the world's biggest soft-drink company, sought approval from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce for its $2.3 billion acquisition of China Huiyuan Juice Group Ltd.

Coca-Cola filed the documents last week, Kenth Kaerhoeg, spokesman for Coca-Cola Asia, said in a phone interview Monday. The U.S. company had offered ($2.3 billion) to buy Huiyuan, the companies said Sept. 3.

The acquisition of China's biggest maker of fruit juice by market share would be the biggest overseas purchase by Coca-Cola as it tries to boost its share of non-carbonated drink sales.