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AB InBev awash with offers for Czech lager
17.06.09
A bevy of private-equity firms are jostling to buy the Czech brewer Staropramen and the rest of the central and eastern European beer interests of the Budweiser and Stella Artois brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev.
KKR which bought AB Inbev's South Korean unit in May, is one of at least three private-equity firms which is considering a bid. TPG Capital and the British private equity house CVC are also understood to be in the running.
The deal, which could top $3.4 billion (£2.1 billion), is part of AB InBev's attempt to clear its cellar and reduce debt by $7 billion.
The interest of the deal-doing private equity firms who have been uncommonly quiet as a result of the money-raising restrictions during the credit crunch indicates a trade buyer like Peroni brewer SAB Miller is not interested.
European brewers Heineken and Carlsberg aren't reckoned to be interested either as they are focused on reducing debt after they carved up the UK's Scottish & Newcastle last year.
