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The
Belgium-based maker of Budweiser, Corona and Stella Artois is
looking to boost its presence in Africa and Latin American
countries to offset weaker markets such as the United States,
where drinkers are shunning mainstream lagers in favor of craft
brews and cocktails.
The takeover, one of the biggest in the corporate world, will
give AB InBev a third of the global beer market.
AB InBev, already the biggest brewer in the world, managed to
allay EU competition concerns by agreeing to sell SABMiller's
Peroni, Grolsch and Meantime beer brands to Asahi Group Holdings
Ltd <2502.T>, the people said.
Last month, the company also announced plans to sell SABMiller's
business in Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania and
Slovakia to appease lingering worries from the European
Commission.
The Commission and Ab Inbev declined to comment.
The EU competition enforcer is scheduled to decide on the deal
by May 24. Australian and South African authorities have already
given the green light.
AB Inbev is also selling SABMiller's stake in U.S. joint venture
MillerCoors to Molson Coors Brewing <TAP> and SABMiller's stake
in its CR Snow venture to China Resources Beer, to address
competition concerns in other regions.
(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee in Brussels and Martine Geller in
London; editing by David Clarke)
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