Roo juice? What'll Eeyore have to say?

Some 76 years after the character was first penned by AA Milne and illustrated by EH Shepard, Winnie the Pooh has finally been seized by the marketeers.

Disney, which owns the rights to the cartoon bear, has struck a deal with Coca-Cola to sell a Winnie the Pooh-branded drink in the UK.

To hit the shops in August, the "Winnie the Pooh Roo Juice" fruit drink will be aimed at the lucrative beverages market for children.

The launch follows similar deals between the two corporations, among them the introduction of a Mickey Mouse-branded milk drink in countries such as the US, Mexico, Japan and the Netherlands.

A spokesman for Coca-Cola's UK arm said: "This is one of our strategic priorities to develop family beverage brands. This is a market we previously haven't been involved with and gives two tried-and-tested brands a boost."

He said Coca-Cola may develop other branded drinks, using Disney's vast portfolio of characters, and hinted that Coca-Cola may strike up deals with other media owners. "We are looking at opportunities. I can't be more specific," he said.

The deal comes as Coca-Cola is increasingly turning to joint ventures to strengthen its position as the world's largest soft drinks company.

Last week the company teamed up with Groupe Danone of France to distribute bottled water in the US which will include the Sparkletts and Dannon brands.