Quaker Oats-Snapple ($1.7B, 1994)

Quaker Oats' $1.7 billion Snapple acquisition in 1994 destroyed the quirky brand through corporate mismanagement, leading to a $1.4 billion loss when sold 27 months later for just $300 million. The acquisition failed because Quaker forced Snapple into its distribution system, cutting sales by 20% within the first year.