Japan's Asahi Plans $3.41 Billion Offer for Peroni and Grolsch

If the deal gets accepted, it could be one of the biggest international acquisitions by a Japanese company topping Kirin Holdings Co Ltd $3.3 billion takeover of Australia’s Lion Nathan in 2009.

 

Dutch Grolsch beer was founded in 1615 while Italy's Peroni has been produced since 1846.

 

Other interested in SABMiller's brands include KKR & Co, Mahou-San Miguil Group and Cinven.

 

Anheuser Busch InBev SA has been seeking potential buyers for Grolsch and Peroni in order to get European regulatory approval for its proposed acquisition of arch rival SABMiller for around $104 billion.

 

Anheuser Busch InBev, which owns Stella Artois, Budweiser and Corona, has already struck a deal to sell SABMiller's 58-per cent stake in MillerCoors to Molson Coors for $12 billion in order to allay competition concerns in the US and will be forced to sell its market-leading Snow brand in China.

 

The sale of the seemingly small, premium brands would also pave way for the much-awaited Anheuser Busch InBev's takeover of SABMiller for more than $100bn. The companies had been seeking potential buyers for these brands in order to address competition concerns raised by European competition authorities with regard to the domination of the two companies, if the merger goes through.

 

Together, AB InBev and SABMiller will account for one in every three beers produced and sold across the world and result in ownership of several top-performing brands across the globe.

 

Bids for Peroni and Grolsch are expected to come in this week. Private equity firms KKR and Cinven, and Spanish beermarker Mahou-San Miguel are also expected to contest in the bid for the beer brands.

 

It is expected that AB In Bev would finalize the deal by March, as the offers will begin coming in as early as next week.
 
Until now, Asahi's international operations were confined to Oceania and Asia. Its flagship Super Dry beer, however, has attained popularity in Europe.