InBev USA sells Rolling Rock brands to Anheuser Busch

22/05/06 InBev USA , a subsidiary of InBev and Anheuser-Busch jointly announced the sale of the Rolling Rock family of brands. The purchase price was $82 million dollars (USD) for the U.S. and worldwide rights to Rolling Rock and Rock Green Light.

Anheuser-Busch acquires the Rolling Rock brands and recipes with this transaction and will now start to work with the existing Rolling Rock wholesaler network and Anheuser-Busch wholesalers to define plans for the future. Anheuser Busch will begin brewing Rolling Rock and Rock Green Light in August using the brands’ same time honored recipes, maintaining Rolling Rock’s craftsmanship and heritage that its fans expect and appreciate. Internationally, Rolling Rock will continue to be sold in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

The decision to sell the Rolling Rock brands was based on InBev’s strategic approach to the U.S. market, which is to focus on the high-growth import brands in our portfolio. InBev said that it’s sales and marketing efforts are aimed at maximizing the potential of its leading imported beers, including Stella Artois, Bass Pale Ale, Beck’s, Brahma and Labatt Blue, and on its strength as the U.S. leader in imported draught beer.

InBev plans to sell its brewery in Latrobe, Penn., separately to focus its U.S. business on imported beers. It is in discussions with potential buyers to determine the best available option for the brewery and its employees.