USA: AB InBev reported to have approached Cigar City Brewing with acquisition proposal

A Tampa, Florida-based craft brewer, Cigar City Brewing, was approached by Anheuser-Busch last year about a possible sale, the Tampa Tribune reported on February 7.

Cigar City Brewing founder and owner Joey Redner said he was approached by A-B about setting a meeting to talk about an acquisition last year, but a second meeting was never held, according to the newspaper.

Redner did not immediately return calls seeking comment from the Post-Dispatch. In December 2013, Redner told the Post-Dispatch his brewery was on track to brew about 25,000 barrels of beer for the year. Redner is partnering with a Chesterfield-based company, Brew Hub, to have some of its beer brewed at a Brew Hub owned facility in Lakeland, Fla. Cigar City Brewing's beers include Jai Alai India Pale Ale, Florida Cracker and Invasion.

St. Louis-based A-B, the U.S. headquarters for AB InBev, declined to comment about the Cigar City Brewing report. An A-B spokesman said the brewer doesn't comment or speculate on any mergers and acquisitions activity.

In recent months, A-B announced the acquisitions of 10 Barrel Brewing Co., a craft brewer based in Bend, Ore., and Seattle-based Elysian Brewing Co.

11 February, 2015