Japanese brewer Asahi Group (TYO:2502) swept into Europe on Wednesday with a US$2.8bn offer to Anheuser Busch Inbev (NYSE:BUD) to snap up SABMiller (LON:SAB) brands Peroni, Grolsch and Meantime.
Belgian brewer Anheuser said the preliminary offer was €2.55bn (US$2.8bn) to take the popular beers from Italy, the Netherlands as well as the British craft ale.
The deal would enable Asahi to gain access to European markets, where currently it has no presence, as well as import Grolsch and Peroni beer brands into Japan, South Asia, and Australia.
Meanwhile, the selling of some of SABMiller’s brands would remove for AB InBev one of the European regulatory concerns that were hampering its US$104bn acquisition of its London-based rival, SABMiller.
Last year, AB InBev has made several attempts to acquire SAB Miller.
Shares of AB InBev were up 0.16%, or 18 cents in New York at US$116.29. Earlier, Asahi shares ended down 8% at JPY3,334.00 in Tokyo.