Japan: AB InBev accepts brewer Asahi’s Offer yo buy Peroni

Belgian brewing giant Anheuser-Busch InBev has agreed to sell the Peroni, Grolsch and Meantime beer brands to the Japanese brewer Asahi, clearing a key hurdle in its acquisition of its British rival SABMiller. The sale, announced Tuesday, is conditional upon successful completion of the roughly $108 billion acquisition of SABMiller.

Although the terms of the latest deal were not disclosed Tuesday, Asahi had, in February, made a binding offer of 2.5 billion euros for the three brands.

In November, AB InBev announced it would acquire SABMiller for $108 billion, creating a brewing behemoth controlling approximately 30 percent of the world’s beer market. The deal raised eyebrows among antitrust regulators in the U.S. and Europe, and the sale of the three European beer brands — originally owned by SABMiller — is aimed at allaying antitrust concerns.

If the sale of Peroni, Grolsch and Meantime goes through, it would be the biggest-ever overseas acquisition by a Japanese beer company.

Full Content: WRAL

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