InBev
InBev was a family owned business until 2000 when it become a publicly owned company trading on the Euronext stock exchange (Brussels). In 1987 the two largest breweries in Belgium, Artois and Piedboeuf, merged. This became the foundation of the company now known as InBev. Many other breweries, in countries from Canada and Russia to Hungary, were then acquired by the brewing giant. In 2000, InBev acquired Bass and Whitbread, two large scale UK brewers. It was not until 2004 that the company officially became InBev, after a merger between AmBev and Interbrew resulted in the creation of InBev. [1]
InBev is the world's largest brewer,[2] from its Belgium base 13.3 billion euro of profit was made in 2006. The brewer holds the number one or number two position in over 20 key markets – more than any other brewer. It has a key presence in both developed and developing markets, active in 7 out of the 10 of the fastest growing markets worldwide. InBev employs around 88,000 people across its six 'operational zones' of North America, Western Europe, Central and Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America North, and Latin America South. [3]
Contents
Corporate crimes
Price-fixing
In April 2007, InBev were, along with Grolsch, Heineken and Bavaria, found to be part of a price fixing cartel in Holland. All companies involved were fined £150 million by the European Commission, with the exception of InBev. At the time InBev was trading as Interbrew and managed to avoid the fine because the Commission felt that the firm had cooperated with the investigation, therefore, under the Commission's leniency programme such cooperation can lead to a reduced penalty or as in this case none at all. In 2001, InBev and Danone (then owners of Kronenbourg) were fined for operating another cartel in Belgium. [4]
Marketing plan to improve product image
The advertising agency Lowe Worldwide has been employed by InBev to assist in rebranding one of their best selling lagers, Stella Artois after the product became associated with binge drinking and violence. The Judge said "There are key words which recur all too frequently in cases involving young men and alcohol. They are 'Stella' and 'binge drinking'." [5]. Rob Bruce a senior InBev spokesman admitted the lager had an image problem. "It's gone too far. There's a real risk in the way 'wife beater' has been associated with Stella Artois of undermining the issue of domestic abuse. There's no denying there's a problem with alcohol misuse in this country, but you can't blame one particular product for that. Antisocial behaviour is caused by people, not by drink."[6]
InBev Scotland
InBev is a member of the Partnership Agreement: Scottish Executive and the Alcohol Industry, Rob Bruce is the primary representative for the firm within Scottish policy circles.
Lobbying firms
Former lobbying firms
Affiliations
- The European Sponsorship Association
- Partnership Agreement: Scottish Executive and the Alcohol Industry
References
- ↑ InBev Company Website Our History Last accessed December 7th 2007
- ↑ Just Drinks Website InBev Last accessed December 17th 2007.
- ↑ InBew Company Website Our Company Last accessed December 7th 2007
- ↑ David Gow, The Guardian, April 18th 2007 Heineken and Grolsch Fined for Price-Fixing Last accessed December 17th 2007
- ↑ Ciar Byrne, The Independent 6th September 2007 A new image for Stella to put off the lager louts accessed 19th August 2008
- ↑ Ciar Byrne, The Independent 6th September 2007 A new image for Stella to put off the lager louts accessed 19th August 2008
- ↑ Register Entry for 1 September 2008 to 30 November 2008 APPC, accessed 28 January 2015
