Anheuser-Busch InBev will report its third-quarter and year-to-date results tomorrow (31 October). Here, just-drinks takes a look at the highs and lows for the company in the three months to the end of September.
- Regulators spent the quarter examining A-B InBev’s US$20.1bn takeover of Grupo Modelo. CEO Carlos Brito said the deal will make “no change” to beer markets, however, authorities in the US were keen in August for “additional information” on the takeover in case it breaks monopoly laws. In September, the UK government said it was also investigating whether the potential buy-out raises competition issues.
- In July, the company announced the launch of its Project 12 small batch beer in what could be viewed as a move towards increasing its craft beer portfolio. The three beers were chosen from 12 created by A-B Inbev brewmasters and were due to go on sale this month.
- In August, A-B InBev said it was closing one of its Russian breweries. SUN InBev blamed the closure of the facility in Kursk, 500km south of Moscow, on the tough trading environment for brewers.
- A-B InBev announced a six-year extension to its long-running deal as official sponsor of Major League Baseball (MLB). The group has partnered with MLB for the past 33 years.