Jobs to go at troubled drinks firm

Embattled company Cooroy Mountain Spring Water, on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, could be run by a skeleton staff in the next few days.

The bottled water and soft drink business went into receivership last September with debts of more than $20 million.

It is understood the receiver is finalising staff numbers and there will be job cuts in the next few days.

Local businessman Peter Lavin's offer to buy the company fell through when former owner Greg Dinsey placed a caveat over the land.

"They'll have to keep fighting the fight ... that's the ANZ and the receivers, with Greg Dinsey to get title of the land," he said.

"You know that could be some time with the legal issues and the health issues and all the other issues he's thrown up and stalled the process but unfortunately the casualty has been the staff out there ... some good people, some very good people out there.

"It's critical for the area, for employment and it's a local industry that we want to keep going.

"It's prime water. It's something that we know that water is the thing of the future and we know that we can keep increasing the employment as we grow the business.

"We're still keen. It's just a bit harder and [we've] just got to go to plan 'B'."

Mr Lavin will today take control of Wimmers Soft Drinks, which accounts for about half the company.

Source: ABC News, 21 June 2012