Prague - The 52-billion-dollar takeover of US brewer
Anheuser-Busch by Belgium's beer giant InBev has no immediate
influence on Czech brewer Budweiser Budvar and its trademarks, the
state-owned brewer said Monday.
'The newly-formed entity will have to respect a status quo and
court decisions made in favour of Budweiser Budvar,' Budvar's general
manager Jiri Bocek said in a statement.
The US brewer's expansion to Europe has been blocked by nearly
century-long legal disputes over the Budweiser trademark with the
small Czech brewer.
The takeover however could significantly decrease Budvar's price
in a future privatization that has been mulled by the centre-right
government of Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, an industry insider
told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.
Unlike Anheuser-Busch, which would have rushed to buy Budvar to
solve the trademark trouble, the new company is not likely to pursue
the Czech brewer at any cost, said the expert who wished his name not
to published.
'The new owner has no reason to push Bud to Europe where it has
many brands already. The new entity will be significantly less
interested (in Budvar) and the Budvar price will be significantly
lower,' he said.
The Czech Trade and Industry Minister Martin Riman had estimated
Budvar's value at some 20 to 30 billion koruny (1.4 to 2 billion
dollars), a price that is now 'beyond reality,' the expert said.
Analysts also say the new company may be less keen to wage the
costly legal war against the Czech brewer.
Still, InBev may be interested in Budvar becoming a clear number
two on the Czech market, ahead of Heineken, another potential suitor.
Both companies hold some 15 per cent of the market.
The Czech market number one with a nearly 50-per-cent market share
is South Africa's SAB Miller, the owner of the Pilsner Urquell brand.
USA
Your Talkback on this Story