Japan’s Asahi Beverages to unite brewers under the Carlton & United Breweries name

CUB chief executive Peter Filipovic will stay on at the combined beverage companies as their boss.

Carlton United Breweries (CUB) CEO Peter Filipovic at their brewhouse in Abbotsford. Picture: Aaron Francis/The Australian

Japan’s Asahi Beverages will combine its two alcohol businesses, Carlton & United Breweries and Asahi Premium Beverages, with the newly merged brewers to operate under the Carlton & United Breweries name.

The giant international brewer also has confirmed that CUB chief executive Peter Filipovic will stay on at the combined beverage companies as their boss.

The brewing businesses will be combined by the fourth quarter of 2020.

CUB became a part of Asahi Beverages on June 1 in a realignment of the global beer industry. Asahi bought CUB for $16bn last year.

The combination will deliver a leading range of alcohol bever­ages, including Asahi Super Dry, Great Northern, Carlton Draught, Peroni, Corona, VB, Carlton Dry, Pure Blonde, Mountain Goat, Vodka Cruiser, Somersby Cider, Woodstock Bourbon, the Yaks, Pirate Life, 4Pines and Balter.

Asahi Beverages chairman Peter Margin said: “Asahi Bever­ages is proud to be investing in Australia for the long term. We have incredible confidence in the Australian market and the potential for long-term growth.”

Asahi Beverages Oceania group chief executive Robert Iervasi said the combination of CUB and Asahi Premium Beverages would give customers access to a leading portfolio that would deliver a superior customer experiences.

“We’re very pleased that Peter Filipovic will continue to lead CUB as CEO of our alcohol business division in Australia, joining Stuart Roberts CEO Asahi Lifestyle Beverages and Andrew Campbell CEO Asahi Beverages New Zealand.

The combination of CUB and Asahi Premium Beverages will reduce the number of Asahi Beverages business divisions from four to three, with its non-alcohol business Asahi Lifestyle Bever­ages and Asahi Beverages New Zealand unaffected by today’s announcement.

Earlier this year the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission said Asahi’s proposed acquisition of CUB would not be opposed after Asahi had undertaken to divest two of its beer brands and three of its cider brands: the Strongbow, Bonamy’s and Little Green cider brands and the Stella Artois and Beck’s beer brands.