M&A Activity Picks Up in F&B Sectors, Including Functional Water Assets Space - NetworkNewsWire Editorial Coverage NEW YORK, May 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- After a sluggish start to 2020, merger and acquisition activity in the food and beverage industry survived COVID-19 and picked up in H2, with 136 of the year's 222 transactions closing after June last year. Total transaction value for the year was $13.8 billion, only slightly lower than 2019. Despite the lingering pandemic, consolidation continues in the industry and deal flow has returned to a torrid pace, creating an exceptionally attractive market climate for The Alkaline Water Company Inc. (NASDAQ: WTER)(CSE: WTER) (Profile), the U.S.'s largest independent alkaline water company, and its Alkaline88(R) brand, which is now endorsed by Shaquille O'Neal, NBA Hall of Famer and