SABMiller

SABMiller plc
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryBrewery
Founded8 February 1895; 129 years ago (1895-02-08)[1]
Defunct10 October 2016; 8 years ago (2016-10-10)
FateAcquired by AB InBev
Headquarters1895–1950: London
1950–1999: Johannesburg
1999–2016: London

SABMiller plc was a South African multinational brewing and beverage company headquartered in Woking, England on the outskirts of London until 10 October 2016 when it was acquired by AB InBev for US$107-billion. It was the world's second-largest brewer measured by revenues (after Anheuser-Busch InBev) and was also a major bottler of Coca-Cola.[2][3] Its brands included Foster's, Miller, and Pilsner Urquell.[2] It operated in 80 countries worldwide and in 2009 sold around 21 billion litres of beverages.[2] Since 10 October 2016, SABMiller is a business division of AB InBev, a Belgian multinational corporation with headquarters in Leuven.[4]

SABMiller was founded as South African Breweries in 1895 to serve a growing market of miners and prospectors in and around Johannesburg. Two years later, it became the first industrial company to list on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. From the early 1990s onwards, the company increasingly expanded internationally, making several acquisitions in both emerging and developed markets. In 1999, it formed a new UK-based holding company, SAB plc, and moved its primary listing to London. In May 2002, SAB plc acquired Miller Brewing, forming SABMiller plc.

The acquisition of SABMiller by Anheuser-Busch InBev on 10 October 2016 ended the corporate use of the name SABMiller; this entity became a business division of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV. Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (abbreviated as AB InBev) began trading on the Brussels Stock Exchange as ABI, as BUD on the New York stock exchange and as ANH on the Johannesburg market.[5] SABMiller ceased trading on global stock markets[6]

The company divested itself of its interests in the MillerCoors beer company to Molson Coors.[7][8][9] On 21 December 2016, the company agreed to sell the former SABMiller Ltd. business in Eastern Europe to Asahi Breweries.[10][11] AB InBev had previously agreed to sell Grolsch Brewery, Peroni Brewery and Meantime Brewery to Asahi; that deal closed on 12 October 2016. On the same day, the sale of SABMiller's 49 per cent share in the world's largest volume beer brand, Snow beer to China Resources Enterprise was also closed.[12][13]

Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV is also selling much of an SABMiller's subsidiary that was bottling and distributing Coca-Cola to the Coca-Cola Company. The affected regions include Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho, El Salvador and Honduras.[14]

Companies such as South African Breweries and Carlton & United Brewing that were subsidiaries of SABMiller, and were not sold after SABMiller was acquired by Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV, are now subsidiaries of AB InBev.[15] CUB was sold to Asahi in July 2020.[16]

  1. ^ "History". SABMiller. Archived from the original on 7 August 2014. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  2. ^ a b c "Company Snapshot 2010" (PDF). SABMiller plc. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 July 2013. Retrieved 30 August 2010.
  3. ^ "SABMiller, Asahi eye Foster's beer unit: sources". Reuters. 23 August 2010. Retrieved 30 August 2010.
  4. ^ "Company Overview of SABMiller Limited". Bloomberg. 14 November 2016. The company was formerly known as South African Breweries plc and changed its name to SABMiller plc in July 2002.
  5. ^ "Stocks - Anheuser Busch Inbev NV (ABI.BR)". Reuters Business. Thomson Reuters. 27 January 2017. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2017. ABI.BR on Brussels Stock Exchange
  6. ^ "SAB:LN Ticker Delisted". Bloomberg. 11 October 2016. Retrieved 2 February 2017.
  7. ^ "Molson Coors Completes Acquisition of Full Ownership of MillerCoors and Global Miller Brand Portfolio". Molson Coors. 11 October 2016. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 29 January 2017. Becomes World's Third Largest Brewer by Enterprise Value and Strengthens Position in Highly Attractive U.S. Beer Market
  8. ^ Dill, Molly (10 October 2016). "Anheuser-Busch to complete acquisition of SABMiller today". BizTimes. BizTimes Media LLC. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  9. ^ Nurin, Tara (10 October 2016). "It's Final: AB InBev Closes on Deal To Buy SABMiller". Forbes. Retrieved 1 February 2017. SABMiller ceased trading on global stock markets last week
  10. ^ "Asahi Group to buy InBev beer brands for $7.8bn". FinancierWorldwide.com. February 2017. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  11. ^ "Anheuser-Busch InBev to Sell Former SABMiller's Central and Eastern European Business to Asahi". Bloomberg News. Bloomberg. 21 December 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  12. ^ Phil Serafino; Rachel Chang (19 April 2016). "AB InBev Accepts Asahi Offer to Buy Grolsch, Peroni and Meantime Beer Brands". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  13. ^ Evison, James (12 October 2016). "Asahi Completes acquisition of Miller Brands U.K." Morning Advertiser. William Reed Business Media. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  14. ^ Jarvis, Paul (21 December 2016). "Coca-Cola Buys AB InBev out of Africa Unit for $3.2 Billion". Bloomberg News. Bloomberg. Retrieved 1 February 2017. Coca-Cola Co. will pay $3.15 billion to buy Anheuser-Busch InBev NV out of an African bottling joint venture ... Coca-Cola also agreed to buy AB InBev's interest in bottling operations in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho, El Salvador and Honduras for an undisclosed sum.
  15. ^ "Asahi Group's acquisition of AB InBev's Carlton & United Breweries gets approval". www.foodbusinessafrica.com. 1 April 2020. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
  16. ^ "Asahi buys Carlton and United Breweries for $16b". Australian Financial Review. 19 July 2019. Retrieved 24 April 2022.