E-Malt.com News article: 3380

China: InBev, the world's largest brewer by volume, announced on September 30, 2004 the closing of its acquisition of the remaining 50 % of Lion Group’s beer business in China, hereby gaining 100 % control.

In September 2003, Lion Diversified Holdings Berhad (LDHB), a diversified Malaysian group, sold 50 %of its China brewing activities to InBev for USD131.5 million, and transferred the management control of the strategic partnership to InBev. On 20 September 2004, InBev announced the acquisition of the remaining 50% for a cash consideration of USD131.5 million.

InBev is today the third-largest brewer in China, with 30 million hectoliters of capacity, produced by 18 breweries, and present in 6 major provinces: Zhejiang, Guangdong, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu and Shandong.

InBev is a publicly traded company (Euronext: INB) based in Leuven, Belgium. The company's origins date back to 1366, and today it is the leading global brewer by volume. InBev’s strategy is to strengthen its local platforms by building significant positions in the world's major beer markets through organic growth, world-class efficiency, targeted acquisitions, and by putting consumers first. InBev has a portfolio of more than 200 brands, including Stella Artois®, Brahma®, Beck’s®, Leffe®, Hoegaarden®, Staropramen® and Bass®. InBev employs some 70,000 people, running operations in over 30 countries across the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific. In 2003, InBev realized a net turnover of approximately 9.3 billion euro (2003 pro forma).


01 October, 2004