© Pilsner Urquell
Asahi Group has agreed to acquire Anheuser-Busch’s operation in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary and Romania, along with a number of other related assets that were previously owned by SABMiller prior to its combination with the Belgian-based brewer.
The Japanese brewer will pay €7.3 billion for Anheuser-Busch’s businesses in the five countries.
The deal relates to the Pilsner Urquell, Kozel and Tyskie brands, among others, together with the intellectual property rights associated with Pilsner Urquell, Kozel and Tyskie brands outside of the US and Puerto Rico, and the rights to Miller brands in the five European markets.
Asahi has also obtained rights to the Redd’s brand outside the five countries.
As part of its latest deal, it will assume almost 2,000 extra staff. The business unit recorded pre-tax earnings of €493 million in the year to March from net sales of €1.64 billion.
The company said that the transaction would help it to leverage its business in Japan to become a more significant global player, having already bolstered its business in Europe. In October, Asahi paid in the region of €2.5 billion for Miller Brands’ Peroni and Grolsch beers, as Anheuser-Busch and SABMiller sought to sell off a number of brands at the premium end of its portfolio to help alleviate concerns from European anti-trust regulators.
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2024