Anheuser-Busch no longer American?

[HazelGod]

What the fuck is the world coming to when Budweiser is no longer an American brand?

Belgium-based brewery behemoth InBev SA has offered an all-cash proposal to purchase outright the Anheuser-Busch brands and operations, including Bud, Michelob, and others.

Nationalistic histrionics aside, I'll pose the greater question: Why?

A-B isn't hurting...they're a $2B+ annual operation that showed strong Y-Y growth, and that's nothing to sneeze at in our present economy.

There's absolutely no upside for the consumers that I can think of, and concentration of market force into the hands of fewer players is almost never a good thing.

Crap like this just bugs me.

 

[lucky8]

Yet another sign that globalization is ruining our country. Next thing we know, GM will be owned by the Chinese

 

[TurkeyWithaSunburn]

Welcome to the world of megacrap, I mean megacorporation. Where everything is owned by multinationals. You too can be a 1/40millionth owner too! Ahhh awesome isn't it? <sarcasm>

 

[ZOS23xy]

Brew your own.

Having an allergy to hops, I can't feel sad.

 

[2322]

Hey, the UAE just bought the Chrysler building and the Italians just bought the Flatiron building. Heh.

It's not a done deal yet.

 

[Industrialsize]

Before everyone gets upset........the offer came to the Busch Family unsolicited and was soundly rejected........BUDWEISER is still firmly American.

 

[Rubenesque]

I could be wrong, but Anheuser-Busch doesn't sound very American anyway does it?

 

[HazelGod]

Before everyone gets upset........the offer came to the Busch Family unsolicited and was soundly rejected........BUDWEISER is still firmly American.

That's not exactly true. While the deal is far from done, the Busch family does not have the final say on the matter. That's why such takeover bids are termed hostile. The latest news reports I'm seeing indicate that the executive board will be evaluating the offer on the table.

I could be wrong, but Anheuser-Busch doesn't sound very American anyway does it?

By that reasoning, nothing other than Cherokee or Iroquois truly sounds American.

 

[D_Ted Riding Hooded]

Welcome to the real world!! That's the 'free' market for you.

 

[2322]

Yeah, the Busch family do not hold the anything close to the majority of shares. The great majority are held by investment banks. They will ultimately decide what happens. I suspect the deal will go through after a brief fight.

 

[Bbucko]

I'm more of a Sam Adams guy, myself.

 

[ManlyBanisters]

Fuck Budweiser!

Give me a Budvar anyday :wink:

Budweiser Budvar - NEWS

 

[Mr. Snakey]

This is the main reason i quit drinking over 18 years ago. I knew this would happen.

 

[midlifebear]

The only good beers are Mexican or Canadian. However, AB has found it's way to own Cerveceria Moctezuma (fortunately, they have yet to change the brewing recipes to make beer that tastes like the carbonated urine sold as Budwieser).

But wait, there's more. Hold on to your hats 'Mericuhn ladies and gentlemen, general consensus outside of the golden borders of the USA is that 'Mericuh is no longer seen as the mighty economic world force we like to think it is. While you all are wrestling with the shock and awe of $4.00 to $5.00 a gallon motor fuel, this isn't affecting the EU countries or most of South America. Four liters of gas or diesel have NOT risen in price in tandem with that of a gallon in the USA. So, as you wrestle with how to absorb the recession and slow economic times ahead AND afford motor fuels, remember that Russia, Europe, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay, Japan, South Korea (the list goes on and on) adjusted to high fuel prices decades ago. These countries will, more or less, continue to have strong economies and currencies while us 'Mericuhns will have to adjust to the fact the All Mighty Dollar ain't that all or mighty anymore. While it's true British Airways, like all other airlines, are suffering the high cost of jet fuel (kerosene), the public transportation infrastructures in foreign countries tend to be WAY more sophisticated and user friendly than say, uh . . . AmTrak? Greyline? Unless you're real flush with weak US Dollars, you'd better get accostumed vacationing in your back yards with the kids and the family dog, burning meat over the barbeque. Things could be worse. They even might get worse.

For those of you in the USA who have the guts and the wits, it's still possible to cash in your chips and build a successful business and thrive in a foreign economy. Of course, you're probably going to need to learn another language.

Bon chance, buenas suerte. etc.

Doesn't anyone remember when NBC sold 30 Roc to a Japanese Real Estate investment company? It became more lucrative, because of tax benefits, for NBC to lease it's own property than to own it. Hmmm . . . . This is still true for most corporations in the USA.

Now, if Labatt's were to buy Anheuser Bush one might hope they could improve the club soda-like brews AB pushes upon the 'Mericuhn public.

 

[omgiswatdeysay]

Tell me about it! I'm from St. Louis and this is going to put a big hurting on our economy if the deal goes through. It'll be a dark day in STL for sure..

 

[Ethyl]

My uncle works for Coors and was told months ago that Coors was considering buying Molson, when in fact, the reverse is true. He was told the truth this week. Looks like the All-American beer is no longer all that american.

I'm always teasing him about working for "swill" and that he should, at the very least, work for a brewing company that produces decent beer. Good thing he has a sense of humour. :biggrin1:

 

[deleted213967]

See what happens when we let the US dollar slide!


Besides, Bud is to beer what McDonald's is to burgers. Bon débaras!

P.S.: The Belgians brought us the French Fries, we owe them big.

 

[dreamer20]

I could be wrong, but Anheuser-Busch doesn't sound very American anyway does it?

Correct Denise, their names were German. Many U.S. breweries were founded by German immigrants.

Where the Budweiser Flows - TIME

The Anheusers and the Busches got together in St. Louis before the Civil War, when Adolphus and Ulrich Busch, young sons of a vast family (21 children) of German immigrants, married two daughters of Erberhard Anheuser, a small and not very successful brewer. Son-in-law Adolphus, who combined a Teutonic genius for organization with the salesmanship of a pitchman, soon built up annual production to 25,000 barrels. In 1876, he got a new and better beer formula from a local restaurateur and called the new brew Budweiser. He was one of the first to use the new discovery of pasteurization to keep bottled beer from spoiling, and thus was a jump ahead of most U.S. brewers, in national distribution. By 1901, Anheuser-Busch, Inc. was turning out more than 1,000,000 barrels a year. Adolphus also took some sidelines: he built the Adolphus Hotel in Dallas, and brought the first diesel engine patents from Switzerland to the U.S.

 

[mattflanders]

Well, from what I've heard on the news here in Belgium. Im-Bev just wants to own A-B to actually have breweries in the United States. Im-Bev is represented in every continent except North America. And A-B has breweries in the United States, so the piece fits the puzzle. That's all.
And Im-Bev just needs a brand that everyone will drink because the Brazilians in Im-Bev didn't want to use Stella-Artois.
Personally, I think that's a pity because Bud lacks a bit of character. It's more of the athmosphere around the beer that make people drink it. And it's a very light beer so most people will like it, I guess. I prefer beers some more taste, like Stella-Artois. Or some of the other 400 Belgian beers.

 

[Industrialsize]

I'm more of a Sam Adams guy, myself.

I more of a Bbucko's Sam Adam's guy AFTER he's drunk it.............