Anheser Busch

[bclift65706]

I dont think it is the best thing to happen to Missouri . What to do now find a diffrent brand and put 6000 people out of work or just act like it never happend drink up and be happy about it.

[jdmidwest]

Guess you will have to drink Coors if you want an American Beer!

Augie screwed up, STL will probably go downhill from here. Cardinals will become Dodo Birds. The Rams, well they should drink more buds, might help them. Grants farm will be gone. Other interests will be gone. Miss Bud will be eco friendly and become a hybreed. Clydesdale will be replaced by miniature pony's.

To salute them, I am drinking Miller High Life Light tonite... Gotta give the other foreign owned brewery a chance too.

[Wheatenheimer]

Time to give St. Louis' second largest brewery a go! Schlafly...............check out their dry hopped APA! On a hot summer day, this is the nectar!!!!!!

[davekeim]

It's a global economy now. We all share most everything in the world. If my Bud Lite said made in China there may be some concern. Look at all the things you use or consume, you'd be surprized who owns what. Yoplait, Kleenex, Wrigley, on and on. Yes people from other countries own things we deem USA. But people in USA also own companies that people in other parts of the world think that are local businesses.

It's the same story for ages, 95% of us can get along with everyone. It's the 5% that swings the wrench.

Signed,

Cardiac

[flyfishmaster]

Well I was waiting for this post to happen.

I'm a current employee at Anheuser-Busch in St. Louis at their corporate headquarters (not the brewery in downtown). With the take-over happing in the upcoming months, every one is nerveous wondering how much longer will they be employeed. One week ago A-B announced thye were going to offer early retirement to those 55 and older. I don't know if that option is avalible any more.

As for InBev, they are a cost cutting machine and they will find anyway to save some money. I agree, the theme parks, can/bottle plants, recycling, Grant's Farm and Kings Mill Golf Resort will all be sold with in a year of the take over to help pay off the $52 billion debt they just created.

I just hope I'm able to make the cut and keep a job. We will see.

As for other large beer companies in the USA. Miller is owned by SAB, South African Brewery. Coors is owned by Molson (Canada). In June 2008 SABMiller and Molson-Coors merged their USA operations to save nearly 500 million a year in overhead cost. Still the Corporate headquarters are not located in the USA.

So as for the those wanting to drink a USA owned beer, you will have to stick with some of the local micro brew houses, like a Schlafly and pay a few extra dollars.

I wish the best of luck to my fellow A-B co-workers and their families over the next year.

Later,

FFM

[Terrapin Station]

Good posts. The beer world has seen unprecedented changes in the past couple of years for sure. Whether we like it or not, we are in a global economy for many, many reasons. Some American cars are produced in Mexico/Canada and some foreign cars are produced in America. This is now a reality for us. But it really doesn't make sense to me to "boycott" a certain American brand because shares of stock switched hands. Prior to InBev's offer, ABs largest shareholder was already overseas (Barclays UK). Anheuser-Busch, Miller and Coors products are and will always be brewed in America by Americans. Boycotting Budweiser, because of a financial transaction and a weakened dollar that even the Busch family couldn't prevent, will only hurt American employees and their families.

[flyfishmaster]

Terrapin,

I agree, I think a will raise my lunch time Bud Select in honor of my fellow USA beer makers, no matter who ownes them.

Later,

FFM

[patfish]

I was wondering if someone would bring this up. My 2 cents....

As an American, a Missourian, and Saint Louisan, yes, I am a little hurt by the sell off. Probably wouldn't be as hurt if Auggie wouldn't have said "Not on my watch" in regards to the sale. But what is hurt is only my pride. I'll get over it.

Here's where things get sketchy... like FFM has stated, costs will be cut, assets liquidated. That's all fine and dandy, happens everyday. Jobs will be lost, and I may be one. The company I work for is an AB supplier and they are our single largest customer worldwide. I can rattle off all the AB brewery locations as well as most of the can-plants, malt plants, entertainment facilities, etc. I deal with them most of the day, everyday. Our pricing agreement is up with AB in December, so that will either be re-negotiated or just plain canceled. The only reason the place I work at in STL exists is because AB said they wanted us here in town. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is, it is a shame that jobs will be lost at the Breweries, but the fallout will be more far reaching than that as Brito slashes costs, the ripple effect. They may go from the $1M/month they spend with us to 10 grand. That'll shut our doors. By the way, I asked for a promotion/raise yesterday. Yeah, they're brass.

But you know what, I've been kinda freakin on this all week, now I'm fighting. If I lose my job over this, so be it. I'm resilient, just like my dad and grandpa and all Americans have been and are. Who knows, I may land a job that I never thought of even having and making more money. Or not. Makes no difference. I'll make it. It may not be pretty or with showers of cash, but I'm still FREE to do whatever the heck I please. Like go fishing, and I can still play with my dog and my girlfriend can still wear her bikini and not a berka. That is all that matters.

Oh yeah, and, I get to go see the Cardinals play on Sunday in a Stadium I've never been to....

I think its called InBev Stadium? Does that sound right?

I'll still drink a Bud while I'm there. The guys left at AB need me to....

[Danoinark]

I was wondering if someone would bring this up. My 2 cents....

As an American, a Missourian, and Saint Louisan, yes, I am a little hurt by the sell off. Probably wouldn't be as hurt if Auggie wouldn't have said "Not on my watch" in regards to the sale. But what is hurt is only my pride. I'll get over it.

Here's where things get sketchy... like FFM has stated, costs will be cut, assets liquidated. That's all fine and dandy, happens everyday. Jobs will be lost, and I may be one. The company I work for is an AB supplier and they are our single largest customer worldwide. I can rattle off all the AB brewery locations as well as most of the can-plants, malt plants, entertainment facilities, etc. I deal with them most of the day, everyday. Our pricing agreement is up with AB in December, so that will either be re-negotiated or just plain canceled. The only reason the place I work at in STL exists is because AB said they wanted us here in town. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is, it is a shame that jobs will be lost at the Breweries, but the fallout will be more far reaching than that as Brito slashes costs, the ripple effect. They may go from the $1M/month they spend with us to 10 grand. That'll shut our doors. By the way, I asked for a promotion/raise yesterday. Yeah, they're brass.

But you know what, I've been kinda freakin on this all week, now I'm fighting. If I lose my job over this, so be it. I'm resilient, just like my dad and grandpa and all Americans have been and are. Who knows, I may land a job that I never thought of even having and making more money. Or not. Makes no difference. I'll make it. It may not be pretty or with showers of cash, but I'm still FREE to do whatever the heck I please. Like go fishing. That is all that matters.

Oh yeah, and, I get to go see the Cardinals play on Sunday in a Stadium I've never been to....

I think its called InBev Stadium? Does that sound right?

I'll still drink a Bud while I'm there. The guys left at AB need me to....

Pat what a great post, such spirit. We're with you and the others affected. Good luck to all of you.

Dano

[Quillback]

What's weird to me is that I had never seen a Stella Artois (An Inbev brand) TV commercial until about the time the buyout talks started. It probably doesn't mean anything, but sure was coincidental.

Inbev is known as a cost cutting machine. I fear for the Clydesdales.