USA: No deal to take place between Anheuser-Busch and InBev

“There is no deal currently with Anheuser-Busch,” InBev USA told its employees June 29 in its attempt to deny speculations according to which Anheuser-Busch and InBev USA might strike a distribution arrangement, reports communicated June 29.

Accordingly, reports provided that InBev was approached by a big brewer but they decided that it was in their best interest to go it alone with their growing brands.

As part of its new “funnel” strategy, A-B is seeking higher-margin brands to supply to its wholesalers to prevent distributors getting brands on their own. Speculation has been rampant that InBev – which markets the hot brand Stella Artois – might have been put in the funnel.

A report from Beer Marketer's Insights Express gives more detail: “But to InBev at least, there were always issues, a source said, including how to maximize growth of its portfolio of brands. And AB and InBev couldn't come to an agreement. So InBev "recommitted" to biz, and encouraged employees to "re-energize."

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