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Isn't Miller a subsidiary of a South African company?
P.S. Most Americans don't want a beer that tastes like beer. They want a beer that tastes inoffensive, is cheap, and gets them drunk.
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080612/D918GF9G0.html
I'm thinking Miller would do REAL well if this were to happen...and, ironically we might finally have a big brewery in the U.S. that would put out a product that actually tastes like beer.
By CHRISTOPHER LEONARDST. LOUIS (AP) - Belgian Brewer InBev is offering a big payday to shareholders of Anheuser-Busch Cos. (BUD) (BUD) Inc., but its bid to create the world's largest beer company is already facing a major obstacle - U.S. election-year politics.
InBev SA, whose brands include Beck's and Stella Artois, delivered an unsolicited all-cash bid of $65 a share for Anheuser-Busch, which makes Budweiser, Michelob and Bud Light. That's well above the St. Louis-based company's closing share price of $58.35 Wednesday.
But politicians and activists are already lining up against the deal, saying it could cost jobs in the United States and send ownership of an iconic American company overseas. With economic concerns at the front of voters' minds, the opposition could cause a headache for InBev.
Republican Gov. Matt Blunt said Wednesday he opposes the deal, and directed the Missouri Department of Economic Development to see if there was a way to stop it.
"I am strongly opposed to the sale of Anheuser-Busch, and today's offer to purchase the company is deeply troubling to me," Blunt said in a statement.
Web sites have sprung up opposing the deal on patriotic grounds, arguing that such an iconic U.S. firm shouldn't be handed over to foreign ownership. One of the sites, called SaveAB.com, was launched by Blunt's former chief of staff, Ed Martin.
"Shareholders should resist choosing dollars over American jobs," Martin said in a statement Wednesday night. "Selling out to the Belgians is not worth it - because this is about more than beer: it's about our jobs and our nation."
If the deal goes through, it would create a beer-brewing giant and mark just the latest phase of consolidation in an industry facing rising ingredient costs and stale demand in the United States.
"Anheuser-Busch said that its board of directors will evaluate the proposal carefully and in the context of all relevant factors, including Anheuser-Busch's long-term strategic plan," the company said in a statement. "The board will pursue the course of action that is in the best interests of Anheuser-Busch's stockholders."
A spokeswoman said the company would not comment beyond the statement.
InBev Chief Executive Carlos Brito said the deal would boost both companies, giving InBev access to the U.S. market while expanding Anheuser-Busch's reach overseas.
"We have the highest respect for Anheuser-Busch, its employees and its leadership, who have built the leading brewer in the U.S. and grown the iconic Budweiser brand. Together, we would draw on the collective expertise of both companies' management and employees."
Shares of Anheuser-Busch soared 7.6 percent to $62.80 after regular trading hours, when the announcement was made. They had risen 2 percent in late-afternoon trading, when rumors of the deal were reported on CNBC. Speculation has been rife in recent weeks that the deal might occur.
InBev was formed in 2004 when Belgium's Interbrew merged with South America's biggest brewer AmBev. Since then, the company has cut jobs in several European countries while its sales were boosted by strong demand in Latin American countries.
Worries about job cuts at Anheuser-Busch could be justified. InBev has a reputation for squeezing costs out of the companies it acquires, said Benj Steinman, editor of the Beer Marketer's Insights trade publication. Because of its size - and control of nearly half the U.S. beer market - Anheuser-Busch could be a ripe target for cost-cutting.
"One theory is that their own cost reductions are winding down in Europe and Asia and around the world, and they need somewhere to sort of implement what they're best at," Steinman said.
InBev tried to allay those fears Wednesday, saying it would not close any Anheuser-Busch breweries and would make St. Louis the headquarters for its North American division. The company also said it would invite some Anheuser-Busch directors to join InBev's board.
Anheuser-Busch executives have made cost-cutting a goal over the last two years. Sales in the United States have been stagnant as consumers turn toward wine and tails, and the rising costs of ingredients have bitten into profit margins.
Last year, Anheuser-Busch turned a profit of $2.12 billion, up nearly 8 percent from $1.97 billion in 2006. But its core brands of Budweiser and Bud Light continued to lag as sales of craft beers and imports rose.
While the InBev deal looks sweet on paper, it's far from a sure thing. InBev said it plans to pay for the deal with $40 billion in debt, and raising so much capital could be tough as banks tighten their standards during a global credit crunch.
InBev's statement said the company has "strong support" from a number of financial ins utions, including Barclays Capital, Deutsche Bank and JPMorgan. The company would pay for part of the deal by divesting some "noncore assets" along with equity financing.
Opposition to the deal is sure to be stiff in St. Louis. SaveAB.com offers visitors yard signs and bumper stickers to express their distaste for the purchase.
"Like baseball, apple pie and ice cold beer (wrapped in a red, white and blue label), Anheuser-Busch is an American original," the site says.
Isn't Miller a subsidiary of a South African company?
P.S. Most Americans don't want a beer that tastes like beer. They want a beer that tastes inoffensive, is cheap, and gets them drunk.
What's wrong with that?
If you want some flavor, Thunderbird is packed with it. And it'll get you drunk.
Last edited by Don Quixote; 06-12-2008 at 11:23 AM.
chimay blue grand reserve.
"I can't taste my beer"
If you want a beer that tastes like beer, A-B already makes it. It's called Michelob. It's not the best in the world and is a little too sweet for my tastes, but it is a legitimate attempt at beer.
Budweiser is a rice lager.
Being bought by Belgians wouldn't make Budweiser better anyway unless the takeover includes a plan to replace all A-B brewers with Catholic monks.
I keed ... I don't even like beer. It's nasty. I'm glad you guys are into it, though, for without beer, there would be no beer commercials. Or sports on TV.
Have to disagree on Michelob. Try this; let it get warm; if it doesn't taste like horse piss; it's a decent brew. Michelob? Equine urine.
I don't drink it either, but IIRC, I liked the taste.
Wild Irish Rose is more flavorful than Thunderbird.
Luther once said something to the effect that many pillars of the papacy were torn down as he and his buddies threw back pints in the pub.
The fact that David danced and Jesus drank and made wine would cause a theological crisis for many Baptists.
I think you'd be surprised to find out how many Baptists are Pabstists.
Jesus's first public miracle, and one of his final commands to his disciples both involved Wine. DO NOT understand many of my fellow Christian's belief that alcohol = sin. Grape Juice at communion? Jesus' example not good enough for them, I guess.
Pabst = REALLY bad beer.
That rules out Heineken then.
There are some thing about Baptists (I am one) that I disagree with. Not really anything deep theologically, mainly minor stuff. But certainly it is sin to drink to excess.
Usher: "If you want communion I'll need to see an ID".
Just about ANYTHING to excess is a sin.
...and Corona, Dos Equis, Shiner, etc...
Is Catholicism illegal in dry counties?
Holy smokes, you ever been around anyone that
has been drinking T-bird, ripple. yikes!
Well, drinking only quality beers, I don't care what happens to Shludwiller. The le caught me off guard also. Real Budweiser in made in Czechoslovakia.
Budweiser trademark dispute, part of wiki link:
According to the brewery, King Otakar II of Bohemia granted independent brewers in the city of Budweis the right to produce beer as early as 1265. They did so in a style that became known as "Budweiser," much as beers brewed in the fashion of another Czech city, Plzeň (German: Pilsen), are referred to as "Pilsner".Anheuser-Busch started marketing their product as Budweiser in the United States in the late 19th century. This was immediately after a Bohemian brewery located in České Budějovice launched their product in the US market under the original name, Budweiser Bürgerbrau. Anheuser-Busch cites prior registration of the trademark in the US and battles for the right to use it worldwide in many legal disputes against Budvar in several countries. Budvar wishes to maintain its right to market their beer under their traditional trademark. Budvar has marketed its product this way since 1895 and claim that Budweiser is a generic name, just as the pilsener style comes from the town of Pilsen (Plzeň).
The existence of the Czech beer of the same name has caused problems in some markets. A long-standing agreement with the Czech brewery divided the rights to the name "Budweiser", so that the Anheuser-Busch product is marketed as "Bud" (in France and elsewhere) and "Anheuser-Busch B" (Germany), where the Czech beer has the rights to the name. Anheuser-Busch has made offers to buy out the Czech brewing company in order to secure global rights to the name "Budweiser" for both beers, but such offers have been refused.[citation needed]
I've had real Budweiser when I lived in Germany. Puts the USA stuff to shame. The imports out of Europe usually aren't the same quality after such long shipping times and conditions. Any import found here may not be as good as buying it there.
Bud Light is the worst beer on the planet. I'd rather drink those fruity beers that they sell at the Fox & Hound. Seriously.
Alcohol and dancing are the Devil's traps.
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