Belgium’s trustbusters probe AB-InBev’s commercial terms

Belgium | The Belgian Competition Authority has launched a formal antitrust probe into AB-InBev over concerns its commercial conditions breach EU rules prohibiting abuse of dominance and anticompetitive agreements.

Renowned stockpicker Terry Smith dumps stake in Diageo

United Kingdom | Veteran investment manager Terry Smith has ditched his fund’s stake in drinks firm Diageo after almost 15 years. He reckons the drinks industry is in trouble due to the impact that weight-loss drugs could have in turning people off alcohol.

Whisky exports down 30 percent in first nine months of 2024

United Kingdom | Distillers should be worried. UK whisky exports were down by nearly 30 percent by value from January to September 2024, compared with the same period in 2023.

Russia’s new tariffs on “unfriendly nations” will hit brewers hard

Russia | 2025 began with a whole lot of bad tidings for foreign brewers: Not only did Russia confiscate AB-InBev-Efes’ local assets, it also announced new punitive tariffs on imports from countries it deems “unfriendly”, including Germany, effective 1 January 2025.

BrewDog’s James Watt may delay marriage to max out tax relief

United Kingdom | BrewDog’s co-founder James Watt suggested he may have to delay his marriage to reality TV star Georgia Toffolo for three years, so that he can claim a tax relief for investing in her raw dog food business. This was reported by the BBC on 18 December.

Russia | Will AB-InBev-Efes befall the same fate as Carlsberg’s Russian unit Baltika? In a novel twist, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, on 30 December 2024, signed a decree which placed AB-InBev-Efes’s Russian operations under temporary management. The decree involved handing over all of the joint venture’s assets to a firm called “GK Vmeste”.

Brouwer of Delirium Tremens buys Gouden Carolus brewer Het Anker

Belgium | Is the sale of family brewer Het Anker to industry peer Huyghe Brewery, which became public on 26 December 2024, just a lucky match? Or is it a symptom of a wider industry malaise that a swift exit may be the best option all things considered? Beer sales in Belgium dropped 5.8 percent in 2023 over 2022, while exports declined 7.5 percent, according to industry association Belgian Brewers.

Portugal’s Super Bock group opens a craft brewery in Lisbon

Portugal | It must be the first time in the industry that a country’s leading brewer opens a craft brewery – not to cash in on a growing trend, but to promote beer culture overall. This is what Super Bock Group hopes to achieve, after investing EUR 4 million (USD 4.2 million) in a former military power plant to establish Browers Beato in Lisbon.

Russia | Carlsberg has finalised a deal to sell its Russian assets, including Baltika Breweries, to two senior employees of the company, Reuters reported on 2 December. The day before, Russia’s President Putin had signed a decree which ended state control of the business. The deal, valued at RUB 34 billion (USD 322 million), comes after months of uncertainty following Moscow’s seizure of Baltika in July 2023.

Beer in Russia’s stadiums: Will it return in 2025?

Russia | Baltika Brewery has spoken out in favour of the return of beer to Russian football stadiums. Playing down any self-interest, Baltika said that this would not open up an additional sales channel for breweries, but only increase the number of spectators.