C&C set for €205m acquisition

IRISH drinks group C&C is to buy the Irish, Northern Irish and Scottish divisions of Anheuser Busch-InBev for £180 million (nearly €205m), in a move that should significantly boost group revenue.

The acquisition will give C&C outright ownership of the Scottish lager brand, Tennent’s, and the Wellpark brewery in Glasgow, as well as distribution rights for a number of brands across the three markets such as Stella Artois, Hoegaarden, Beck’s and Leffe, plus distribution rights to Budweiser in Scotland and the North.

The deal requires shareholder approval before being completed. An extraordinary general meeting is likely to be held in either late September or early October, with the formal completion expected in mid-October.