AB-InBev not out on the prowl, says chief strategist

Who would have thunk - AB-InBev officially rules out certain takeover scenarios? Jo Van Biesbroeck, 55, the Chief Strategy Officer of AB-InBev, has defied rumours that the world’s number one brewer is keen on taking over SABMiller or PepsiCo. Although experience shows that a strategist who comes clean on the truth is actually a contradiction in terms, Mr Van Biesbroeck, in an interview with the Belgian newspaper De Tijd on 29 May 2012, said that "while we always look for opportunities [for deals], our focus is now on internal growth." So organic growth is it for AB-InBev. Hark his words.

A merger with PepsiCo, as some analysts have suggested, Mr Van Biesbroeck thinks clearly out of the question. "Our business is beer and remains so," Mr Van Biesbroeck insisted. When confronted with the fact that in Belgium in recent months AB-InBev has launched several "sweet alternatives" to beer like Hoegaarden Rosé, he replied that these products were put into the market because they are what consumers want. Not because AB-InBev is a soft drink company. "We’re just in the Coca-Cola generation and we must offer consumers sweeter drinks. With "near beer’’, Mr Van Biesbroeck added.

We shall see.