The number of potential buyers for Sweden's state-owned beverage company Vin & Sprits has swelled after a state pension fund joined forces with buyout firm EQT ahead of today’s binding bid deadline.

AP4, Sweden’s fourth national pension fund, said it had a longstanding relationship with EQT and had joined it in bidding for Vin & Sprit. Nordic investment group Investor is also part of the EQT consortium.