BRUSSELS -- Anheuser-Busch InBev confirmed Thursday that it will seek a buyer for SABMiller's European premium beers in anticipation of regulatory concerns in its acquisition of SABMiller.
"In line with its commitment to promptly and proactively address potential regulatory considerations, Anheuser-Busch InBev, in close cooperation with SABMiller plc, is exploring the sale of a number of SABMiller’s European premium brands and related businesses," the company said in a statement.
As rumored this past week, AB InBev said it will contact potential purchasers in the coming weeks "to assess their interest in the Peroni and Grolsch brand families and their associated businesses in Italy, the Netherlands and the U.K."
Potential buyers include Dutch group Heineken, U.S.-based Molson Coors and Ireland's C & C Group, according to reports.
AB InBev already agreed to sell rights to all of the brands under the MillerCoors umbrella in the U.S.--including Blue Moon, Lienenkugel's, Crispin cider and all of the Miller beer brands--to Molson Coors to avoid regulatory issues in the United States.
Like that deal, the proposal to sell Peroni and Grolsch reflects "AB InBev’s proactive approach to addressing potential regulatory concerns" that may arise as part of the merger with SABMiller.
Brussels-based AB InBev launched its formal $106-billion takeover of London's SABMiller in November in a deal to create a unified company that would earn half of the entire brewing industry's profits.
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