From Italian to English, from English to Japanese. After almost a year of negotiations, the Birra Peronic officially joins the Asahi Europe Group, a multinational corporation headquartered in Tokyo. The Italian brand was sold by Ab InBev, a Belgian giant which will thus be able to complete the acquisition of the British company Sat Miller, which in turn took over Peroni in 2003.
The operation also involves English mean time and Dutch Grolsch, which, like the Italian beer, pass into the hands of the Japanese group. Last December Ab InBev (owner, among others, of the Budweiser and Corona brands) had confirmed the need to sell the three brands to obtain the go-ahead from the EU Antitrust to purchase SabMiller.
The maxi merger, with an estimated value of approximately 70 billion pounds (over 112 billion euros), is one of the most significant of all time and will give life to a giant capable of producing over 60 billion liters a year, with a 30% share of the global beer market.
From the point of view of the Japanese, the recently concluded operation is the largest acquisition ever, which should allow the group to expand into Europe.
Peroni, founded in 1846 in Vigevano, has broadened its horizons under the umbrella of SabMiller (especially thanks to the Nastro Azzurro brand), to the point that of the 4,8 million hectoliters of beer produced by Peroni (with 70% barley grown in Italy) every year 1,3, 31 million are sold abroad. Birra Peroni closed its financial statements as at 2016 March 360 with 21,5 million in revenues and a profit of XNUMX million.
With its 170-year history and a prominent position on the Italian market, Birra Peroni will continue to produce its quality beers in the establishments of Rome, Padua and Bari, sourcing Italian malt from its Malteria Saplo in Pomezia, just as it has done so far.
“Today is a memorable day for our company. We are proud to have become an attractive group thanks to prestigious brands and the talent of our people,” said Akiyoshi Koji, Chairman & CEO Asahi Group Holdings.
Neil Kiely, Managing Director of Birra Peroni, assured that the company “will continue to invest in our supply chain to provide our consumers with quality products. Birra Peroni is an integral part of the tradition and industrial culture of this country. Our bond with Italy is indissoluble for this reason, our commitment to operate on this market in a responsible and increasingly sustainable manner remains alive".
