Anheuser-Busch May End Up Acquiring Miller Brewing Company

The Miller Brewing Company could end up being acquired by Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world’s largest beer company and the owner of one of Miller’s historic rivals.

Rumors of a merger have been swirling for years. Now, the Wall Street Journal is reporting that parent company Anheuser-Busch InBev is more seriously exploring a purchase of Miller owner SABMiller.

SABMiller bought Milwaukee-based Miller Brewing Company in 2002. The Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company of Chippewa Falls is also a subsidiary of the global corporation.

Eric Shepard, the vice president and executive editor of the website Beer Marketer’s Insights, said that if AB InBev buys MillerSAB, it would have to spin off its MillerCoors brands to avoid breaking anti-trust laws.

“Between them, they have an over 70 (percent) share of the US market. That’s the kind of one and two combinations that the anti-trust folks would really take an extremely close look at. So I don’t think you’d have to worry about AB owning Miller,” said Shepard.

Shepard said Colorado-based Molson Coors would most likely take over MillerCoors since it’s already a partial owner. If that’s the case, he said that brewery workers and beer drinkers should not notice much of a difference.

Tim John is a descendant of Miller’s founders and has written a book about its brewing history. He said that past corporate buyouts have kept Miller afloat and its brands relevant. He also said that while jobs have remained in Milwaukee, there’s a slight fear the company could leave if the sale comes about.

“I would hope we would get behind our factories here, especially the MillerCoors factory in Miller Valley in Milwaukee, and say that we support it and we want the jobs to stay here and it’s the best brewery in Wisconsin, the United States, and maybe the world,” said John.

A MillerCoors spokesman declined to comment.