Corona beer owner mounts legal challenge about use of the name

Mexican arm of drinks company Anheuser-Busch InBev has accused US firm Constellation Brands in a lawsuit of breaching a deal on the use of the Corona brand name by applying it to a product other than beer

Grupo Modelo said the licensing arrangement for Corona only extended to beer and did not include hard seltzer.

The Mexican arm of drinks company Anheuser-Busch InBev – the world's largest brewery – has accused US firm Constellation Brands in a lawsuit of breaching a deal on the use of the Corona brand name by applying it to a product other than beer.

Constellation has used the name for its Corona Hard Seltzer, a sparkling water with alcohol and flavouring, one of several sparkling drinks that have become very popular in the US.