USA: Rumours about Anheuser-Busch and InBev distribution agreement revoked

Rumours about a distribution deal between Anheuser-Busch and InBev USA have been abolished, media provided July 06. Doug Corbett, InBev USA President denied categorically these presumptions by saying that “there is no deal between InBev USA and anyone else. Our priority is to continue to build our relationship with our existing wholesalers.”

InBev is at the origin of a memo which was send to its distributors and which says the following:

“Dear InBev USA Wholesaler:
As many of you are aware there have been many rumors in the marketplace about a potential deal between InBev USA and other companies.

Until now, I have not been in a position to provide the comprehensive answer that you were all looking for. I can now categorically confirm that there is no deal between InBev USA and anyone else. Our priority is to continue to build our relationship with our existing wholesalers.

We firmly believe that our current platform including our people, our import brands and our wholesaler distribution system is the best option for future growth.

While there has been much speculation in the industry, the consumer continues to choose our brands as evidenced by the strong growth of our import portfolio. For instance, Stella Artois is up +65% year-to-date versus previous year. I want to thank you for your patience during this uncertain period, and I look forward to a very certain future of growth.


Sincerely,
Doug Corbett
President
InBev USA”