Anheseur-Busch InBev (AB InBev) has offered to sell SABMiller’s Eastern European brewing assets to gain regulatory approval for its £71bn merger with the UK drinks company.
The Belgium brewer has submitted an updated package of commitments to the European Commission (EC) in this regard.
This move is in addition to its previously agreed sale of SABMiller brands of Peroni, Grolsch and Meantime and their related businesses to Japanese brewer Asahi Holdings.
Under the updated package, the SABMiller businesses which will be put up for sale include Dreher Breweries in Hungary; Kompania Piwowarska from Poland; Plzensky Prazdroj and Pivovary Topvar in Czech Republic and Slovakia; and Ursus Breweries in Romania.
These businesses comprise several brands and AB InBev is hoping to gain considerable interest from potential buyers.
The sale of any of these businesses is dependent on the completion of the AB InBev-SABMiller anticipated merger and will be carried out in compliance with the relevant social processes and ongoing consultation with employee representative bodies.
Sale of any of these businesses will happen only after the merger of AB InBev and SABMiller goes through.
The latest move is part of the two companies' efforts to appease regulatory concerns for the mega merger. AB InBev has made these commitments in Phase 1 of the EC's enquiry. The EC is expected to publish the outcome in its Phase 1 review by 24 May.
AB InBev intends to complete the merger process during the second half of 2016.
SABMiller CEO Alan Clark said: "SABMiller's Central and Eastern European businesses have been a core part of our growth story since we first embarked on our international expansion strategy over 20 years ago.
"We are very proud of these businesses, their brands and the people that have made them the successes they are today, and we will continue to grow and support them throughout this process."
Image: Few SABMiller assets to be sold off for regulatory nod. Photo: Courtesy of SABMiller.
