Asahi favorite in tender for AB Inbev's eastern European beer brands; KKR, Mid Europa Partners no longer in game
The Japanese brewery Asahi is the favourite for the takeover of AB InBev's Eastern European beer brands, reported Hospodarske Noviny, citing undisclosed sources close to the sale tender.
The Czech language item noted that there are five remaining suitors for AB InBev's beer assets in Central and Eastern Europe. According to Hospodarske Noviny, the remaining five suitors, that now will be asked to submit binding offers, are: the brewery group China Resources, consortium of funds Bain Capital and Advent International, consortium of Jacobs Holding, PSP Investments and Czech investment group R2G, and Czech investment group PPF.
The item noted , without citing the source of the information , that a consortium of KKR and Mid Europa Partners, which was previously reported to be in the tender finale, is most likely no longer in the game.
The sale of the brands is part of the divestment program with which AB InBev had to agree in order to get permission for its takeover of SABMiller.
The selling price of the portfolio, including the Czech Plzensky Prazdroj (Pilsen Urquell) and Polish Kompania Piwowarska, can reach as high as USD 7bn, the item added, without citing the source of the information.