Anheuser-Busch to Import Beck’s, Bass, Stella Artois, Other InBev European
Brands
ST. LOUIS and BRUSSELS, Belgium, Dec. 1 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Anheuser-
Busch (NYSE: BUD) will become the exclusive U.S. importer of a number of
InBev’s (Euronext: INB) premium European import brands, including Stella
Artois(R), Beck’s(R), Bass Pale Ale(R), Hoegaarden(R), Leffe(R) and other
select InBev brands, the two brewers announced today.
Effective February 1, 2007, Anheuser-Busch will import these premium
brands and be responsible for their sales, promotion and distribution in the
United States. These InBev brands, which had sales volumes of about 1.9
million hectoliters (or about 1.5 million barrels) in 2005, will be available
to Anheuser-Busch’s U.S. wholesaler network where possible.
InBev’s Canadian brands, including Labatt Blue(R) and Labatt Blue Light
(R), as well as Brahma(R), are not included in the agreement. Working closely
with Labatt Breweries of Canada, InBev USA will continue to market and sell
the Labatt and Brahma brands through a separate distribution network.
Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
"This agreement gives us highly-valued brands that appeal to beer
drinkers looking for sophisticated imports in their beer choices," said
August A. Busch IV, president and chief executive officer of Anheuser-Busch
Cos. Inc. "We live in a world with diverse cultures and lifestyles, and this
provides additional variety for our consumers. These well-known import brands
complement our company’s leading portfolio of American premium beers and
enable our company to better compete. This is consistent with our stated
strategy of enhancing our participation in the U.S. high-end beer segment."
"By securing access to Anheuser-Busch’s world-class sales and
distribution system, this agreement will enhance opportunities for U.S.
consumers to experience the unique values of our premium European import
brands, and further accelerate their growth," said Carlos Brito, CEO,
InBev. "This is another step in InBev’s mission to create enduring bonds
with our consumers throughout the world."
Doug Corbett, president of InBev USA, said: "InBev USA remains fully
committed to the Labatt Canadian brands and to Brahma. These are great brands
with a lot of potential and this agreement will allow us to focus on growing
them in their markets."
InBev is a publicly traded company (Euronext: INB) based in Leuven,
Belgium. The company’s origins date back to 1366, and today it is the
leading global brewer by volume. InBev’s strategy is to strengthen its local
platforms by building significant positions in the world’s major beer
markets through organic growth, world-class efficiency, targeted external
growth, and by putting consumers first. InBev has a portfolio of more than
200 brands, including Stella Artois(R), Brahma(R), Beck’s(R), Leffe(R) and
Skol(R) -- the third-largest selling beer brand in the world. InBev employs
some 85,000 people, running operations in over 30 countries across the
Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific. In 2005, InBev realized 11.7 billion euro
revenue. For further information visit http://www.InBev.com .
Based in St. Louis, Anheuser-Busch is the leading American brewer. The
company brews the world’s largest-selling beers, Budweiser(R) and Bud Light
(R). Anheuser-Busch also owns a 50 percent share in Grupo Modelo, Mexico’s
leading brewer, and a 27 percent share in Tsingtao, the No. 1 brewer in
China. Anheuser-Busch ranked No. 1 among beverage companies in FORTUNE
Magazine’s Most Admired U.S. and Global Companies lists in 2006. Anheuser-
Busch is one of the largest theme park operators in the United States, is a
major manufacturer of aluminum cans and is America’s top recycler of
aluminum cans. For more information, visit http://www.anheuser-busch.com .
