Jones Day and South African firm Bowman Gilfillan are among the firms scoring roles on Coca-Cola and SABMiller's joint venture to form an African bottling operation worth $2.9bn (£1.9bn).

UK brewing giant SABMiller, which owns brands including Peroni and Grolsch, has agreed to combine bottling operations for non-alcoholic drinks with the Coca-Cola Company and Gutsche Family Investments (GFI), the majority shareholder in South African bottler Coca-Cola Sabco.

The agreement will create a new business called Coca-Cola Beverages Africa. As part of the deal SABMiller will sell its Appletiser brand to Coca-Cola.

Coca-Cola's in-house team acted on the deal alongside a Jones Day team led by Atlanta-based partner Frank Layson. DLA Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyer is also advising the drinks giant.

SABMiller's in-house team, led by deputy legal counsel Stephen Jones, worked closely with a team from Bowman Gilfillan led by head of M&A Charles Douglas, who was supported by corporate partners Chris Green, Julie Oppenheim and M&A partner Charles Smith.

The brewer also turned to Guildford firm Stevens & Bolton for advice on intellectual property and UK law aspects with a team led by corporate and finance partner Joe Bedford.

GFI instructed Webber Wentzel with a team led by corporate partner Annabel Parry, which included client relationship partner and head of M&A Christo Els.

Recent advisers to Coca-Cola include Skadden Arps Slate Meagher and Flom and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, both of which have been mandated with acting on its brand exchange deal with the Monster Beverage Corporation. Jones Day is advising Monster.