World’s largest brewer Anheuser- Busch InBev SA is considering selling its 70% majority stake in National Breweries Plc.
National Breweries Plc is a Lusaka Securities Exchange listed subsidiary of Zambian Breweries Plc which was until late last year majority owned by SAB Miller.
National Breweries brews the Chibuku brand of opaque beer and distributes it countrywide in cartons and returnable plastic bottles.
In September 2016, Anheuser-Busch InBev NV won approval for its $100 billion-plus takeover of rival SABMiller Plc, creating the world’s largest beer firm.
According to a cautionary statement issued on Wednesday by the Board of Directors of National Breweries, Anheuser- Busch InBev SA/NV is undertaking a review of its strategic options relating to its investment in National Breweries, including a possible sale of its effective 70% shareholding.
“The strategic review process will commence shortly, and is expected to complete in the second half of the calendar year,” said National Breweries Company Secretary Deborah Ms. Bwalya.
She said the impact of the strategic review cannot yet be ascertained, and shareholders will be updated as required pursuant to Zambian law.
Beer beer beer! Is this news surely.Ok so what now?
When you rush to comment just to beat Mushota….then you fail to put up constructive comment because you cant understand the impact to the economy this news has. Now let me help you break it down for you bwana HH. This means the job creation your president has been talking about will again hit dununa reverse…..employees will be laid down thereby increasing the un employment rate..understand??? now take that chibuku you woke up drinking
Kikikiki!!!! Well put @Twende… But you have to understand that that’s the Zambian way, mouths operate faster than brains! Anyway I hope I will still have my ka mosi, new brand is amazing!
@Twende.. .. tell them
Believe me or not, I like beers with sir names Chibuku Shake-Shake.
Pf need fight this. PF rallies was always littered with shaker’s packages. At UPND rallies was maheu. Use IMF money to buy the shares in National breweries.
@Hachimbokaila:
You are a typical example of PF Ar.sewhores – even when they don’t know anything, they open up their stinking mouths and Ar.ses to impress their drunkard president and his minions like Mumbi Phiri! Hope you have got it – you are SH.IT!!
……………and I quote we shall create 4000 jobs…..END OF QUOTE………from my loose economic degree this selling may mean loss of jobs …….. and what do Zambians say……….WE HAVE A WORKING GOVERNMENT
@Bowtie Lusambo: The reason I call opposition supporters DONKEYS is that they fail to use their brains and see everything bad in ECL/PF as long as their failed leaders tell them so. Who said NB was a loss making entity?? Who said they are closing?? What happens if a large corporation buys NB and expands its operation??? You, my friend are justifying why LT has been compromised by DONKEYS!!!
@ Zambian Citizen, the only way you can wake up in the morning is when you sleep at night. Now from the explanation above its like you are trying to tell people your dream when you were awake the whole night. You are answering to a statement you have no idea about first read assimilate then answer and not bwetu……bwetu…………bwetu
What is in the article is just change of ownership and not closing down of the company.
AB Inbev is coming with their own business strategy and they do not foresee operating NB in the near future…
…for the donkeys, everything is political. Their philosophy is to use less of their brains and use more of the mouth to insult and contribute rubbish to national issues….
@Charles, you are right. But the bigger issue is that AB want to dispose of National Breweries because of stiff competition in the chibuku market. They will keep Zambia Breweries because they dominate the clear beer market. Without the financial muscle of AB, NB will struggle as the chibuku market is fragmented and ultra competitive. If you extrapolate further, you came see potential for job losses.
Can they just pack up and leave so so that alcoholic lungu can be saved
Really laughable..they dont want to be associated with Chibuku – this company should have been Zambian owned 100%
I will be lying in wait
Job losses are bound to happen.
We take a closer look at the whole issue surrounding the AB In Bev intention to sell 70 percent of its stake in NB. What is visible is that the ZB senior leadership planned this at the beginning of last year, 2016, when they hiked the price the Chibuku products beyond what the agents & the consumers could afford. At same time reduce the price of clear beer products on the ZB side. Therefore, as agents we opted to buy the cheaper clear beer products especially eagle lager.
These guys have mislead AB In Bev to sell off the business. In short AB In Bev has been crooked in selling of the business, only time will tell their true intention.
Understanding Zambian resilience is crucial. I believe that there are people capable managers at NB that will come up with a business plan to chat the new path for NB. How this change has been managed is perhaps what is causing unease. The right approach should have been education and participation from all the stakeholders. Personally I would not want to see the opaque beers disappear for cultural reasons. I don’t drink chibuku but it’s been part of our society it’s almost like a “national symbol and heritage.” For tourists coming to our country chibuku can be part of a story and site visits. I hope the new investors can understand that and respect that.