Grupo Modelo, Mexico’s leading beer producer, is renowned for its iconic brands such as Corona and Modelo. For years, the company has been a formidable competitor in the global beer market. However, its ownership underwent a significant transformation following a major acquisition deal.
1. Who owns Modelo?
Modelo beer is one of Mexico’s most famous beer brands, produced by Grupo Modelo, a top brewing company in the country. Currently, Grupo Modelo is owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev), a Belgium-based brewing and beverage conglomerate and the world’s largest beer company.
AB InBev traces its origins to Anheuser-Busch, a historic brewing company founded in 1852 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, by entrepreneur Adolphus Busch. Initially established as Anheuser & Co., the company grew significantly over time, eventually becoming the largest beer producer in the United States.
A pivotal moment occurred in 2004 when Brazil’s AmBev (Companhia de Bebidas das Américas) and Belgium’s Interbrew SA merged to form InBev. In 2008, InBev further strengthened its global presence by acquiring Anheuser-Busch, officially creating AB InBev as it is known today. The company is currently headquartered in Leuven, Belgium.
Through a strategic expansion driven by mergers and acquisitions, AB InBev has solidified its dominance in the global beer industry. The company owns numerous internationally recognized beer brands, including Budweiser, Corona, Stella Artois, Beck’s, and Modelo, diversifying its portfolio and continuing to shape the global beer market.
2. Owner of Anheuser-Busch InBev
Anheuser-Busch InBev is not only a global brewing powerhouse but also a company with a complex ownership structure involving multiple major shareholders.
As of 2015, three Brazilian businessmen—Jorge Paulo Lemann, Carlos Alberto Sicupira, and Marcel Telles—along with their private equity firm, 3G Capital, owned approximately 22.7% of AB InBev’s shares. Additionally, a group of wealthy Belgian families, including the Vandamme, de Mévius, and de Spoelberch families, collectively held a 28.6% stake, maintaining significant influence over the company’s strategic direction.
AB InBev has also seen several leadership transitions over the years. Following the acquisition of SABMiller in 2016, AB InBev further strengthened its grip on the global beer market. For many years, Carlos Brito served as the company’s CEO, playing a crucial role in its expansion. However, after 15 years in leadership, he stepped down in July 2021, and Michel Doukeris succeeded him, leading AB InBev into a new phase of growth.
With strong control from major investors and a robust business strategy, Anheuser-Busch InBev continues to dominate the brewing industry, owning many of the world’s most renowned beer brands and maintaining its position as the global market leader.
3. Anheuser-Busch merges with InBev
Anheuser-Busch, originally founded as Anheuser & Co. in 1852 in St. Louis, Missouri, grew over more than a century to become the largest beer producer in the United States, employing over 30,000 people. Before its merger with InBev, Anheuser-Busch ranked third globally in beer production volume but led in global revenue.
In 2008, InBev, a multinational brewing conglomerate headquartered in Belgium, acquired Anheuser-Busch in a $52 billion deal. The acquisition was finalized in November of the same year, marking the formation of Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev), the world’s largest brewing company. Under the merger agreement, all Anheuser-Busch shares were purchased at $70 per share. This acquisition not only expanded AB InBev’s scale but also solidified its dominance in the global beer industry.
4. Anheuser-Busch InBev and Grupo Modelo
Following the Anheuser-Busch acquisition, AB InBev continued expanding its influence. In 2013, it acquired Grupo Modelo, one of Mexico’s leading beer producers, for $20.1 billion. This deal significantly boosted AB InBev’s market share in Latin America and added renowned brands like Modelo to its product portfolio.
However, the acquisition faced intense scrutiny from the U.S. Department of Justice due to concerns over monopolization. After investigations and negotiations, AB InBev reached an agreement with the U.S. government, ensuring fair market competition. As a result, Grupo Modelo officially became part of AB InBev, further strengthening the conglomerate’s position in the global beer market.
5. Anheuser-Busch InBev acquires SABMiller
In 2016, AB InBev executed one of the most significant mergers in beer industry history by acquiring SABMiller, a British brewing giant, in a deal worth approximately $100 billion.
This acquisition brought iconic brands such as Peroni and Grolsch (formerly owned by SABMiller) under the same umbrella as AB InBev’s flagship brands, including Budweiser and Modelo. The primary objective was not only to expand market share but also to optimize AB InBev’s product portfolio and enhance its competitive edge worldwide.
Beyond revenue growth, AB InBev leveraged the merger to reduce operational costs and achieve economies of scale. This enabled the company to streamline its supply chain and utilize SABMiller’s extensive distribution network to penetrate new markets. Through this strategic acquisition, AB InBev not only reinforced its status as a global beer empire but also laid the foundation for aggressive growth strategies in the future.
Currently, Grupo Modelo operates under the ownership of Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) following the $20.1 billion acquisition in 2013. This merger allowed AB InBev to expand its market share in Latin America and further strengthen its presence in the global beer industry. With the support of its parent company, Grupo Modelo continues to thrive while maintaining its strong brand identity worldwide.
