Heineken recently said that it is acquiring cider brand Strongbow from Asahi Group Holdings Limited (Asahi) in Australia, along with two other cider brands, Little Green and Bonamy’s.
It will also gain the perpetual licenses on beer brands Stella Artois and Beck’s in Australia. The acquisition is subject to regulatory approval and comes after a successful bid for these brands when Asahi put them up for sale as a condition from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) for their acquisition of Carlton & United Breweries (CUB).
Asahi has provided a court-enforceable undertaking to the ACCC to divest the five brands. The undertaking also requires Asahi to ensure the divested brands receive the same access to bars, pubs and clubs as well as off-premise space under tap-tying agreements as Asahi’s brands until June 2023.
