MEXICO CITY, Oct. 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Grupo Modelo, S.A.B. de
C.V. announced today that Grupo Modelo, its controlling shareholders, and
its subsidiary, Diblo, S.A. de C.V., have filed a notice of arbitration
against Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc., Anheuser-Busch International, Inc.
and Anheuser-Busch International Holdings, Inc.
The arbitration relates to Grupo Modelo's and the controlling
shareholders' rights under the Investment Agreement between Grupo Modelo,
its controlling shareholders and Diblo, and Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc.,
Anheuser-Busch International, Inc. and Anheuser-Busch International
Holdings, Inc. in connection with the proposed merger between
Anheuser-Busch and InBev S.A./N.V.
As set forth in the notice of arbitration, the Investment Agreement,
which is governed by Mexican law, prohibits Anheuser-Busch from taking
actions that would result in a transfer or disposition of its interests in
Grupo Modelo and Diblo to a competitor in the beer business. In addition,
the Investment Agreement prohibits Anheuser-Busch from taking any actions
that would result in a transfer or disposition of any portion of its
investment in Grupo Modelo and Diblo without first giving the controlling
shareholders of Grupo Modelo an opportunity to purchase the shares in
Modelo and Diblo being transferred by Anheuser-Busch.
Grupo Modelo, founded in 1925, is the leader in Mexico beer production,
distribution and marketing, with 63.0% of the total (domestic and export)
market share, as of December 31, 2007. It has seven brewing plants in
Mexico, with a total annual installed capacity of 60 million hectoliters.
Currently, it brews and distributes 12 brands, including Corona Extra, the
number one Mexican beer sold in the world, Modelo Especial, Victoria,
Pacifico and Negra Modelo. It exports five brands and is present in 159
countries. It is the importer of Anheuser-Busch's products in Mexico,
including Budweiser, Bud Light and O'Doul's. It also imports the Chinese
Tsingtao brand and the Danish beer Carlsberg. Through a strategic alliance
with Nestle Waters, it produces and distributes in Mexico the bottled water
brands Santa Maria and Nestle Pureza Vital, among others. Grupo Modelo
trades in the Mexican Stock Exchange since 1994 with the ticker symbol
GMODELOC. It also quotes as an ADR under the ticker GPMCY in the OTC
markets and in Latibex in Spain as XGMD.
Contacts:
Joele Frank/Kelly Sullivan
Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher
(212) 335-4449
SOURCE Grupo Modelo, S.A.B. de C.V.
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CONTACT:
Joele Frank or Kelly Sullivan, both of Joele
Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher, +1-212-335-4449, for Grupo
Modelo, S.A.B. de C.V.
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