Interbrew
Encyclopedia
Interbrew was a large Belgium
-based brewing company which owned many internationally known beers, as well as some smaller local beers. In 2004 Interbrew merged with Brazil
ian brewer AmBev
to form InBev
, which is the now largest brewer in the world by volume, with a 13% global market share (as of 2004) now named Anheuser-Busch InBev
(2008)
Some important Interbrew brands are Stella Artois
, Boddingtons
, Beck's
, Staropramen
, Bass, Leffe
, Labatt and Hoegaarden. Before the merger with Ambev, Interbrew was the third largest brewing company in the world by volume, Anheuser-Busch
was the largest, followed by SABMiller
in second place. Heineken International was in fourth place and AmBev was the world's fifth largest brewer.
Having its roots in Leuven
, Interbrew was formed when the Flemish
brewers of Stella Artois
merged with Walloon-based brewer Piedboeuf. The move onto the international scene only happened when Interbrew acquired the Canadian beer brand Labatt. The transaction also included Labatt's assets, which included the Toronto Blue Jays
baseball club, the Toronto Argonauts
football club, and The Sports Network
(the latter being immediately resold to NetStar Communications due to Canadian media ownership regulations). The latter at the time was not much smaller than Interbrew, and since then the company had been considered a multinational with both Canadian and Belgian roots.
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
-based brewing company which owned many internationally known beers, as well as some smaller local beers. In 2004 Interbrew merged with Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian brewer AmBev
AmBev
Ambev formally Companhia de Bebidas das Américas is a subsidiary of global brewing company Anheuser-Busch InBev and is the biggest brewery in South America and the fifth in the world...
to form InBev
InBev
InBev is a subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev. The company existed independently for several years - since the merger between Interbrew and AmBev and until the acquisition of Anheuser-Busch. InBev has operations in over 30 countries and sales in over 130 countries...
, which is the now largest brewer in the world by volume, with a 13% global market share (as of 2004) now named Anheuser-Busch InBev
Anheuser-Busch InBev
Anheuser-Busch InBev N.V. is a Belgian-Brazilian publicly-traded company, based in Leuven, Belgium. It is the largest global brewer with nearly 25% global market share and one of the world's top five consumer products companies by EBITA....
(2008)
Some important Interbrew brands are Stella Artois
Stella Artois
Stella Artois is a 5% ABV lager brewed in Leuven, Belgium since 1926. In the UK, Canada and New Zealand a 4% ABV version is also available.-Production:...
, Boddingtons
Boddingtons
Boddingtons Bitter is a bitter ale originally brewed at the Strangeways Brewery, Manchester, England. It was promoted as The Cream of Manchester from the late 1980s until 2004, when the Strangeways brewery was closed and production moved to Magor, South Wales and Salmesbury, Lancashire...
, Beck's
Beck's
Brauerei Beck & Co is a German brewery in the north German city of Bremen. Owned by local families until February 2002, it was then sold to Interbrew for 1.8 billion euros. The brewery was formed under the name Kaiserbrauerei Beck & May o.H.G. in 1873 by Lüder Rutenberg, Heinrich Beck and Thomas...
, Staropramen
Staropramen
Staropramen Brewery is the second largest brewery in the Czech Republic, situated in the Smíchov district of Prague. It was founded in 1869 and the brand name Staropramen, literally meaning “old spring,” was registered in 1911...
, Bass, Leffe
Leffe
Leffe is a beer brand owned by InBev Belgium, the European operating arm of the global Anheuser–Busch InBev brewery giant. There are several beers in the range, and they are marketed as Abbey beers. They are brewed in large quantities and are widely distributed.-History:The abbey was founded in...
, Labatt and Hoegaarden. Before the merger with Ambev, Interbrew was the third largest brewing company in the world by volume, Anheuser-Busch
Anheuser-Busch
Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. , is an American brewing company. The company operates 12 breweries in the United States and 18 in other countries. It was, until December 2009, also one of America's largest theme park operators; operating ten theme parks across the United States through the...
was the largest, followed by SABMiller
SABMiller
SABMiller plc is a global brewing and bottling company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's second-largest brewing company measured by revenues and is also a major bottler of Coca-Cola. Its brands include Grolsch, Miller Genuine Draft, Peroni Nastro Azzurro and Pilsner Urquell...
in second place. Heineken International was in fourth place and AmBev was the world's fifth largest brewer.
Having its roots in Leuven
Leuven
Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...
, Interbrew was formed when the Flemish
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
brewers of Stella Artois
Stella Artois
Stella Artois is a 5% ABV lager brewed in Leuven, Belgium since 1926. In the UK, Canada and New Zealand a 4% ABV version is also available.-Production:...
merged with Walloon-based brewer Piedboeuf. The move onto the international scene only happened when Interbrew acquired the Canadian beer brand Labatt. The transaction also included Labatt's assets, which included the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
baseball club, the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
football club, and The Sports Network
The Sports Network
The Sports Network, commonly abbreviated as TSN, is a Canadian English language Category C specialty channel and is Canada's leading English language sports TV channel. TSN premiered in 1984, in the first group of Canadian specialty cable channels...
(the latter being immediately resold to NetStar Communications due to Canadian media ownership regulations). The latter at the time was not much smaller than Interbrew, and since then the company had been considered a multinational with both Canadian and Belgian roots.