MolsonCoors will buy StarBev

So all the pundits got it wrong. Neither Asahi nor another private equity firm were the forerunners in acquiring StarBev. AB-InBev’s former central European unit went to Molson Coors. The brewer said on 3 April 2012 that it will buy StarBev from private equity fund CVC Capital Partners for EUR 2.65 billion (USD 3.52 billion) to expand in central and eastern Europe.

"The acquisition of StarBev fits squarely into Molson Coors’ strategy to increase our portfolio of premium brands and deepen our reach into growth markets around the world," Molson Coors’ Chief Executive Peter Swinburn said in a statement.

StarBev, which owns Czech lager Staropramen, will be run as a separate business unit in Molson Coors after the deal closes.

Molson Coors, whose business is concentrated in the mature markets of Canada, Britain and the U.S., expects the deal to add to its earnings in the first full year of operations.

CVC, which bought StarBev in 2009, put the business up for sale after approaches from a number of brewers.