Carling sold for £1.2bn to American brewer

Belgian brewing giant Interbrew has sold Carling Brewers to US beer group Adolph Coors in a £1.2bn deal.

Interbrew - which owns Stella Artois - acquired Carling last year when it agreed to buy the brewing interests of UK group Bass, now called Six Continents.

Competition concerns, however, meant Interbrew was forced to sell the brand.

Today’s deal leaves Interbrew with Bass’s interests in Scotland and Northern Ireland, together with breweries at Glasgow and Belfast.

Its portfolio, which includes Boddingtons and Hoegaarden, gains the Tennent’s and Bass Ale brands.

Interbrew chief executive Hugo Powell said: ‘‘We are pleased to have reached an agreement before the year end, at the right price and to a major international brewer.

‘‘Interbrew UK now has the right combination of scale and brand portfolio to drive growth in our UK businesses.’’

The Coors deal, which is subject to approval by the competition authorities, comes after a tough battle to get the Bass acquisition through.

Competition concerns were initially raised after Interbrew took its share of the UK market up to 32% when it brought both Bass and Whitbread last year.

Then trade and industry secretary Stephen Byers ordered Interbrew to sell Bass - but the firm won a high court appeal against the decision and the deal was sent back to the OFT.

The result was an announcement in September, welcomed by Interbrew, that Carling must be sold.

Coors, most famous for its eponymous lager, was founded in 1873 and is one of the largest brewing companies in the US.