AB InBev to regain control of South Korea's Oriental Brewery

Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world’s biggest brewer, is buying back the South Korean brewery it sold to private equity in 2009

KKR and Affinity Equity Partners bought Oriental Brewery for $1.9 billion (£1.2 billion) five years ago and today AB InBev, which produce Budweiser and Stella Artois, paid $5.8 billion to reacquire it.

Beer sales in south-east Asia are growing at twice the global average and Oriental — South Korea’s largest brewer — predicts premium brands should grow sales by at least 13 per cent over the next decade. Last year, earnings were about $500 million.

Carlos Brito, AB InBev’s chief executive, said: “OB will will become a significant contributor to our Asia Pacific Zone.”