Bottoms up, readers!
"World’s biggest brewers consider merger; A-B InBev’s pitch for chief rival raises antitrust issues" by Drew Harwell Washington Post September 17, 2015
WASHINGTON — The world’s two biggest beer behemoths are considering the largest megamerger in brewing history, after Budweiser giant Anheuser-Busch InBev said Wednesday that it had pitched a takeover of SABMiller, its chief rival.
The deal would fold in some of the world’s best-selling beers beneath a $245 billion hyper-profitable brewing empire. But it would also probably put antitrust authorities on high alert over fears that the loss of competition could drive up prices.
‘‘What a terrible, terrible idea. This should be dead on arrival at the DOJ,’’ or Department of Justice, said Diana Moss, president of the American Antitrust Institute. ‘‘There would be grave concerns over their power to control price . . . and the effects on the craft-brewing industry would be devastating.’’
The long-speculated merger would combine Budweiser, Coors, Miller, Peroni, and other brands under one roof, controlling roughly a third of the world’s beer supply and about half of the industry’s profits.
It could also give the companies huge cost savings on ingredients, packaging, distribution, and the many other expenses that come with running a worldwide enterprise....
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I don't partake of alcohol, so....
