Anheuser-Busch InBev confirms seeking sale of Grolsch and Peroni

Anheuser-Busch InBev yesterday confirmed it is looking to sell SABMiller’s Grolsch and Peroni brands to address potential concerns among European competition regulators over its planned acquisition of the world’s second largest brewer.

The sale of the brands and their related businesses in Italy, the Netherlands and Britain would be conditional on AB InBev acquiring SABMiller in a cash and share offer currently worth some £72bn (€102bn).

AB InBev said it was also looking to sell Meantime Brewing Company, the London-based craft brewer that SABMiller announced it was buying only in May.

The Belgium-based brewer has already agreed to sell SABMiller’s majority-stake in US venture MillerCoors to Denver-based venture partner Molson Coors for $12bn (€11.3bn).

“Like the previously announced disposal of the Miller business to Molson Coors, these steps reflect AB InBev’s pro-active approach to addressing potential regulatory concerns,” AB InBev, the world’s largest brewer, said.

Potential buyers for Grolsch and Peroni, which could each be worth some $1bn, are not obvious, with obstacles for major brewing groups like Heineken and Carlsberg.

That could leave private equity groups as the most likely bidders.