According to a report on Wednesday, Japan’s Asahi Group is planning to offer more than $4.87 billion for SABMiller’s beer operations in five Eastern European countries. Asahi Group had previously acquired the Peroni, Grolsch, and Meantime brands from AB InBev, the world’s top brewer, in order to strengthen its presence in Europe. This news comes amid AB InBev’s acquisition of SABMiller, which will make AB InBev the global leader in the beer industry. As part of the deal, the EU has requested that AB InBev sell off SABMiller’s business in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia. AB InBev also had to divest its Italian, Dutch, and UK lineups to address competition concerns and gain regulatory approval. The Nikkei newspaper reported that AB InBev is planning to initiate bidding for SABMiller’s Eastern European operations shortly after finalizing the deal on Monday. SABMiller holds the largest market share in all of these countries except Slovakia, where it ranks second. Their portfolio includes the well-known Czech brand Pilsner Urquell. If Asahi’s bid of 500 billion yen is successful, it will be the largest beer market acquisition ever made by a Japanese brewery. However, Asahi has refuted the Nikkei report, stating that they currently have no plans or policies regarding such an acquisition.
