AB InBev and SABMiller will have no problem selling Dutch Grolsch and Italian Peroni in order to get their own merger approved. There are an increasing number of interested parties, which now include Thai Beverage.
Tabled a bid
Through its subsidiary, Fraser and Neave, Thai Beverage allegedly expressed an interest to acquire Grolsch and Peroni and has even tabled a bid for the two beer brands.
Fraser and Neave has been a part of Thai Beverage since 2013, a company that also owns Chang Beer among other brands. There were longstanding rumours that it was interested in SABMiller’s brand and that has now been confirmed.
However, Thai Beverage will face some serious competition as Japanese Asahi and Spanish Mahou-San Miguel have also already expressed an interest in the two beer brands. On top of that, several investment funds have also made their intentions known.
SABMiller hopes the Grolsch and Peroni sale will bring in 1.2 billion euro and that this will clear the way for its merger with AB InBev. Without these two brands, the merger company’s European market share should remain manageable in order to ensure the competitive nature of the market.
