AB InBev acquires South Korea’s Oriental Brewery

Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev), whose flagship brands include Budweiser, said Tuesday that it has completed the acquisition of South Korea’s Oriental Brewery or OB.

Last January, AB InBev agreed to regain ownership of OB from two private equity funds, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and Affinity Equity Partners, for US$5.8 billion.

In July 2009, AB InBev sold OB for $1.8 billion to reduce its debt.

OB produces several of South Korea's most popular beverages, including Cass that was chosen as South Korea's official beer sponsor for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

AB InBev, a Belgian-Brazilian multinational beverage and brewing company headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, has nearly 25 percent global market share.

Park Sae-jin swatchsjp@ajunews.com