If consumers “look behind the curtain” of any sponsored event, they’ll find a support system of brands that help to fund the event and reap their own benefits at the same time.

Constellation Brands Inc., Victor, N.Y., announced that it completed its acquisition of Grupo Modelo's U.S. beer business from Anheuser-Busch InBev, Leuven, Belgium, for approximately $4.75 billion. The transaction includes full ownership of Crown Imports LLC, which provides Constellation with complete, independent control of all aspects of the U.S. commercial business; a state-of-the-art brewery in Nava (Piedras Negras), Mexico; an exclusive perpetual brand license in the United States to import, market and sell Corona and the Modelo brands Crown currently sells; and the freedom to develop brand extensions and innovations for the U.S. market.

Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev), Leuven, Belgium, has completed its acquisition of Grupo Modelo, Mexico City, in a transaction valued at $20.1 billion.

Leuven, Belgium-based Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) reported that its total revenue grew 1.5 percent in the first quarter of 2013, with strong revenue per hectoliter growth of 5.8 percent due to the company’s revenue management initiatives and the premiumization of its brand portfolio in key markets. On a constant geographic basis, revenue per hectoliter grew by 6.9 percent, it reports.

Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev), Leuven, Belgium, and Constellation Brands Inc., Victor, N.Y., announced a revised agreement that establishes Chicago-based Crown Imports as the No. 3 producer and marketer of beer in the United States through a complete divestiture of Grupo Modelo’s U.S. business.

Customer satisfaction toward purchases in the soft drink and beer categories remained relatively stable in the last year, with both segments showing approximately a 1 percent decrease in scores compared with the previous year, according to a study by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), Ann Arbor, Mich.

 In 2011, beer’s performance reflected a category of contradictions with trends torn between the ongoing price consciousness of some consumers and the insatiable taste for variety — even if it carries a higher price — from other demographics.  

Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev), Leuven, Belgium, will acquire the remaining stake in Grupo Modelo, Mexico City, for $20.1 billion. The combined company would lead the global beer industry with roughly 400 million hectoliters of beer volume annually and 2012 estimated revenues of $47 billion, AB InBev noted in a statement. Tangentially, Constellation Brands Inc., Victor, N.Y., which in a joint venture with Grupo Modelo currently owns 50 percent of Crown Imports LLC, Chicago, signed an agreement with AB InBev to purchase the remaining 50 percent interest in Crown for $1.85 billion.

Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev), Leuven, Belgium, released a statement regarding speculation about a possible merger between AB InBev and Grupo Modelo, saying the following:

Anheuser-Busch (A-B), the St. Louis-based subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev (A-B InBev), announced the expansion of Bud Light Platinum production to its St. Louis and Columbus, Ohio, breweries as well as plans to add its Fort Collins, Colo., brewery in June. The production expansion will keep up with demand for the new product that launched early this year and is outpacing expectations, the company said in a statement.