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Anheuser-Busch, the world's largest beer brewer, has set its sights on Germany's largest beer brewing group, Hamburg- based Holsten, the daily newspaper Die Welt reported on July 21. The St. Louis, Missouri-based Anheuser Busch is also seeking to buy a stake in the renowned Czech brewer Budvar, a company with which the US brewer has long been embroiled in dispute with over the "Budweiser" brandname, the paper said, citing industry sources.

A spokesman at Holsten, Udo Franke, declined to comment on the possibility of an Anheuser-Busch takeover, saying only "we are seeking a strong partner and are talking with several interested parties".

Die Welt reported that the US brewer could be aiming for a deal with Christian Eisenbeiss, an investment banker who holds around 50 % of Holsten. Eisenbeiss, a 47-year-old investment banker, lives in New York and is involved in the U.S. brewing industry. The newspaper said the Eisenbeiss stake in Holsten is worth around EUR 300 million. It was also noted that Anheuser-Busch, with annual sales of USD12.2 billion, has long been seeking an inroad in the hotly-contested German beer brewing market.

The company has secured for its "Budweiser" label the exclusive rights to the 2006 World Cup in Germany and in 2004 its logo will also be seen on the racing car, helmet and suit of Formula One racers Ralf Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya. The Holsten group in 2002 posted revenues of EUR 834 million and earnings before interest, taxes and depreciation of EUR 117 million. Besides Anheuser-Busch, other brewing groups reportedly interested in Holsten is the South African concern SAB/Miller, the Dutch brewer Heineken and Interbrew of Belgium.

It was also revealed recently that the Czech government was considering privatising Budejovicky Budvar, which has been engaged in a long-running legal dispute extending to many countries with Anhueuser-Busch over trademarks.


22 July, 2003