AB InBev ushers through Asahi, ThaiBev for Peroni, Grolsch sale: sources

[LONDON] Japan's Asahi Group Holdings and Thai Beverage have made it through to the final stages of an auction to buy SABMiller's Peroni and Grolsch beer brands, several sources with knowledge of the matter said on Thursday.

Private equity firms PAI Partners and Bain Capital have also moved to the next round of bidding, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

AB InBev expects binding offers in mid February, the sources said, with one adding that some of the parties have been given a chance to sweeten their offers by a deadline of next week.

The sale is aimed at securing anti-trust approval for Anheuser-Busch InBev's $100 billion-plus takeover of SABMiller.

Peroni and Grolsch are valued at north of 2 billion euros (S$3.14 billion). But Asian brewers could offer up to 3 billion euros to secure control of the assets, one of the sources said.

AB InBev, SABMiller and the bidders declined to comment.

REUTERS