AB-InBev wants to evolve the partnership with Castel

Should Mr Castel be amused or intrigued? AB-InBev CEO Carlos Brito told analysts that, once the SABMiller takeover has been bedded down, he hopes to develop SAB’s partnership with France’s Castel Group. The privately-owned Castel Group is one of the biggest brewers in Africa. For over a decade SABMiller and Castel had an alliance whereby SABMiller owned 20 percent of Castel and Castel owned 38 percent of SABMiller’s African business, excluding South Africa.

“It’s a very important relationship that we intend to continue to develop and evolve,” Mr Brito told analysts on 30 August 2016. He said he would contact the group’s owner Pierre Castel following the deal’s closure.

AB-InBev has traditionally shied away from joint ventures – unlike SABMiller, which raised its international profile often through partnerships.