Anheuser-Busch has moved to take full control of the Kirin portfolio in the United States

Food & Drink Weekly, Sept 11, 2006

Anheuser-Busch (A-B) has moved to take full control of the Kirin portfolio in the United States. The Japanese brewer said August 25 that A-B has assumed the marketing rights to its brands in the United States. A-B has brewed and distributed Kirin Ichiban and Kirin Light since 1996. The deal is a further sign that A-B is looking to boost its presence in the import segment in the U.S., which has grown in recent years largely at the expense of mainstream domestic beer sales.

In March, the brewer signed a deal to handle Asia Pacific Breweries' flagship brand Tiger Beer in the United States. In February, A-B signed a deal with Grolsch to import and distribute the Dutch brewer's brands across the Atlantic. Kirin has brewed and distributed Budweiser in Japan since 1993. A-B brews Kirin beers at its plant in Los Angeles and ships them throughout the U.S. through its network of 600 independent wholesalers. The fresh agreement transforms the previous relationship in the U.S. between the two brewers. A-B will now be responsible for driving profits from the Kirin stable while its responsibility over marketing replaces the Kirin Brewery of America joint venture vehicle, which was formed by the two companies in 1996.