By Eileen A. Mencias

Zest-O Corp. plans to expand to China and Vietnam amid the bleak global economy, Zest-O chairman and Ambassador Alfredo Yao told reporters yesterday.

Yao said Zest-O was negotiating for the acquisition of a plant in Beijing from a British company.

He said the company planned to introduce RC Cola soft drink and sell fruit juice drinks in China. Zest-O, he said, might sell the drinks in China in bottles as well as in aluminum cans.

Yao declined to cite a price on the new acquisition, adding the seller also wanted to lump a syrup manufacturing plant into the transaction. He said the syrup was of no use to Zest-O.

Yao hopes to complete the purchase of the China plant by next month.

Zest-O is also looking at Vietnam and Indonesia, which also have a big market.

Zest-O produces fruit juice drinks and sodas and has expanded to noodles and toothpastes. The company makes the ?Quick Chow? brand of noodles and ?Beam? toothpaste.

Zest-O expects double-digit growth in revenues this year and has dodged the effects of the global financial crisis because of its consumer-oriented product lines.

Zest-O started manufacturing in Dubai last year, having completed its acquisition of Arab Beverages Establishments in 2007. The local company bought Arab Beverages, the world?s biggest producer of fruit juice snack in doypack pouch, for P600 million.