Anheuser-Busch Buys Rolling Rock Brands From Inbev

ST. LOUIS (May 19, 2006) - Anheuser-Busch (NYSE: BUD) has purchased the Rolling Rock brands from InBev USA, the U.S. subsidiary of Belgian-based InBev (Euronext: INB), the two brewers jointly announced today. The acquisition will expand Anheuser-Busch's portfolio of products and leverage its sales and distribution skills to make the Rolling Rock brands available to more consumers. Anheuser-Busch paid $82 million for the global brand rights and recipes for the Rolling Rock beers.

Introduced in 1939 by Latrobe Brewing Co. and acquired by InBev's Labatt U.S.A. in 1987, Rolling Rock is an historic American lager that is well-known for its distinctive, full-bodied taste and painted green bottle. Rolling Rock has established itself as an authentic, iconic American lager with a loyal following.

Anheuser-Busch acquires the Rolling Rock brands and recipes with the transaction, and will now start to work with the existing Rolling Rock wholesaler network and Anheuser-Busch wholesalers to define plans for the future. Anheuser-Busch will begin brewing Rolling Rock and Rock Green Light in August using the brands' same time-honored recipes, maintaining Rolling Rock's craftsmanship and heritage that its fans expect and appreciate. Internationally, Rolling Rock will continue to be sold in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

"We have an ideal opportunity to grow this historic brand," said August A. Busch IV, president of Anheuser-Busch Inc. "This beer is not like others, and its consumer following is equally distinctive. We live in a diverse world where consumers are hungry for variety. Acquiring Rolling Rock enables us to reach a new audience and to continue building our broad portfolio of products that meet the wide-ranging needs of consumers."

InBev plans to sell its brewery in Latrobe, Pa., separately to focus its U.S. business on imported beers. It is in discussions with potential buyers to determine the best available options for the brewery and its employees.

"The decision to sell the Rolling Rock brands was based on InBev's strategic approach to the U.S. market, which is to focus on the high-growth import brands in our portfolio," said Doug Corbett, president of InBev USA. "Our sales and marketing efforts will emphasize our leading imported beers, including Stella Artois, Bass Pale Ale, Beck's, Brahma and Labatt Blue."

Based in St. Louis, Anheuser-Busch is the leading American brewer. The company brews the world's largest-selling beers, Budweiser and Bud Light. Anheuser-Busch also owns a 50 percent share in Grupo Modelo, Mexico's leading brewer, and a 27 percent share in Tsingtao, the No. 1 brewer in China. Anheuser-Busch ranked No. 1 among beverage companies in FORTUNE Magazine's Most Admired U.S. and Global Companies lists in 2006. Anheuser-Busch is one of the largest theme park operators in the United States, is a major manufacturer of aluminum cans and is America's top recycler of aluminum cans.

As America's imported beer specialists, InBev USA offers a diverse portfolio of over 20 international brands. Headquartered in Norwalk, Conn., InBev USA brings the world's leading beers to the U.S., including Stella Artois, the country's best-selling Belgian beer; Beck's, the No. 1 selling German import; Bass Pale Ale, the leading British beer in the U.S.; Brazil's Brahma, the 6th largest beer brand in the world; and Labatt Blue and Labatt Blue Light, the No. 1 Canadian beers in the U.S. InBev USA is the leader in providing imported draught beer to bars and restaurants throughout the country. InBev USA is part of InBev, the world's leading global brewer by volume. InBev employs over 77,000 people, running operations in over 30 countries across the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific.

Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin's Food and Beverage Group acted as InBev's financial advisor in the transaction; InBev was advised by Lazard and Goldman Sachs for its strategic option.