IN Brief:
- Akola Group has increased its ownership of OMG Bubble Tea to 51%, with the transaction value undisclosed.
- The Panevėžys manufacturer employs 51 people, reported €9.5 million revenue for its 2025 financial year and exports approximately 97% of production.
- OMG Bubble Tea expanded into functional carbonated drinks in June 2026, before the latest ownership transaction.
Akola Group has acquired a controlling 51% stake in Lithuanian drinks producer OMG Bubble Tea, extending a relationship that began with a minority investment in 2024. The transaction gives the Baltic agricultural and food group majority ownership and the right to appoint three of the company’s five board members, while the founders will continue participating in management and business development.
OMG Bubble Tea manufactures ready-to-drink bubble tea at its facility in Panevėžys and exports approximately 97% of its production. Its principal overseas markets include France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Austria, Greece and Italy. The manufacturer reported €9.5 million in sales revenue for its 2025 financial year, while the transaction value has not been disclosed by agreement between the shareholders.
Founded in 2022, OMG Bubble Tea has expanded from its initial beverage offering into additional drinks categories. In June 2026, it began production and sales of functional carbonated beverages, which are now available in Lithuania and exported to Greece and Italy. That product expansion predates the October ownership change, although the acquisition gives Akola greater influence over how the business develops its portfolio and export operations.
The production facility currently employs 51 people following automation of manufacturing processes and improvements in operational efficiency. Akola has not provided a breakdown of the equipment installed, the proportion of the process automated or the change in production output associated with those improvements. The reported workforce figure describes the current operation rather than establishing a measurable productivity gain from the automation programme.
Manufacturing bubble tea and other ready-to-drink products involves controlling formulation, ingredient distribution and packaging operations. Where a beverage contains suspended components, maintaining the intended quantity and consistency in each serving can create different handling requirements from those of a uniform liquid. The precise equipment needed depends on the product and its characteristics, including whether components settle, require separate dosing or must remain distributed during filling.
Carbonated products introduce additional process variables. Carbon dioxide must be incorporated under suitable temperature and pressure conditions, while transfer and filling must be managed to limit unwanted gas loss and excessive foaming. Packaging selection is also influenced by the carbonation level and the mechanical loads experienced during storage and distribution. The company has not disclosed the operating conditions or machinery used for the functional drinks introduced in June.
Different beverage categories may also require distinct microbiological controls and shelf-life arrangements. The required processing depends on formulation, acidity, packaging and intended storage conditions, so a manufacturer expanding its product range must establish the necessary operating parameters for each specification. The available company information does not confirm whether OMG Bubble Tea uses identical processing and filling equipment across all its drinks.
Its substantial export share places additional demands on manufacturing consistency. Products supplied to different European markets must meet the relevant requirements for composition, labelling and traceability, while commercial deliveries need reliable packaging and distribution arrangements. Akola has not announced a new logistics contract or export facility as part of the transaction, although export development is among the areas in which it intends to contribute expertise.
The October acquisition changes the shareholder and governance structure rather than establishing a newly built production plant. Akola previously held a minority interest and participated in the board. With 51% ownership and the appointment of three directors, it now has formal control over the business, while the original founders retain operational involvement and knowledge of the product range.
Mažvydas Šileika, Akola Group’s deputy chief executive for finance and investments, said the group intends to contribute capital and experience in financial management, manufacturing efficiency, export development and corporate governance. Those capabilities form part of its proposed growth strategy for OMG Bubble Tea, but the company has not specified a capital expenditure budget for new beverage equipment or confirmed additional manufacturing capacity.
Akola’s existing food businesses operate at a considerably larger scale than the beverage producer. The group includes Kauno grūdai, Linas Agro and the poultry businesses Vilniaus paukštynas and Kaišiadorių paukštynas, alongside other agricultural and food operations. It employs more than 5,000 people across its businesses and reported consolidated revenue of €1.5 billion for the 2025–2026 financial year.
The group’s audited figures for that financial year include €95 million in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation and €43 million in net profit. These are Akola Group’s consolidated results, not the financial performance of OMG Bubble Tea. The acquired manufacturer’s €9.5 million revenue figure relates to its own 2025 financial year and should not be compared directly as though the two reporting periods were identical.
Akola has also invested in smart farming business Geoface and functional beverage company Brite, demonstrating an interest in growth companies outside its established core operations. Its existing Brite investment does not establish a production agreement, shared manufacturing facility or distribution arrangement with OMG Bubble Tea. Any such operational relationship would require separate confirmation.
The founders’ continued management role may help preserve the smaller manufacturer’s product development and commercial relationships as ownership changes. Akola will nevertheless have a greater formal role in determining strategy through its majority shareholding and board representation. The group has not described a restructuring of the Panevėžys operation or announced changes to its existing employment arrangements.
Further growth could require changes to ingredient sourcing, filling capacity, product handling or distribution, depending on the beverage formats introduced and the markets served. None of those investments has been specified in the transaction announcement. The existing plant, its automation and the functional drinks launch provide the operational starting point for Akola’s increased involvement.
The transaction gives the Baltic group control of a young beverage manufacturer with established European exports and an expanded product portfolio. Future evidence of its manufacturing strategy will depend on confirmed equipment investments, production-capacity changes and commercial developments rather than the ownership percentage alone.
