China | After months of rumour-mongering, AB-InBev has confirmed that it is seeking to list a minority stake in its Asian operations to create a separate business.

Australia | Coopers malting plant in Adelaide and The Swaen in the Netherlands won the award of Maltsters of the Year 2019 at the World Barley, Malt and Beer Conference, which was held in Warsaw, Poland, at the end of March 2019.

Australia | Seems like Lion is making lots of small entrepreneurs rich. It was kind of logical that Lion would push further into the craft spirits category after its recent 50 percent purchase of Four Pillars gin.

Australia | Are spirits the new beer? After AB-InBev snapped up a US distillery, Australia’s number two brewer, Lion, did not want to be left on the side-lines. The Kirin-owned brewer has bought a 50 percent stake in gin distiller Four Pillars. The transaction was announced on 22 March 2019, though financial details were not disclosed.

Australia | Adelaide’s Coopers Brewery is willing to shrink its golf course to make room for an expansion of its malting plant. Of course, the golf course has always been a joke – or Coopers’ tongue-in-cheek terminology for the vacant piece of land around its brewery, which has been earmarked for potential expansions.

China | It is one of those deals which claim that “nothing will change”. Danish brewer Carlsberg has taken a minority stake in the Beijing microbrewery Jing-A, the company said on 1 March 2019. Carlsberg will distribute the beers, while Jing-A will remain in control of producing its craft and specialty beers and developing its brand. No financial details were disclosed. Carlsberg would only say that it is a “small investment.”

Japan | After six years in the making, the EU and Japan finalised their trade agreement, which will become effective on 1 February 2019. Asahi Breweries Ltd. has said it will cut the suggested retail prices for wine imported from the European Union by 4 to 17 percent, starting 1 March 2019.

Australia | The country’s major brewer Carlton & United Breweries (CUB), which is owned by AB-InBev, is selling direct to consumers, as part of a “trial” conducted by AB-InBev’s ZX Ventures on the auction and e-commerce website eBay.

Japan | Japan’s largest investment bank Nomura and US private equity firm Carlyle Group, on 23 January 2019, made a joint USD 476 million tender offer for unlisted Orion Breweries.

Australia | Australia’s major brewer, CUB, in December 2018, moved to new digs in Southbank, Melbourne, following the sale of its old Southbank headquarters to the state government for AUD 95.5 million (USD 77 million) in January 2018.