Japanese brewers interested in acquiring Apatin Brewer and Niksic-based Trebjesa

CVC Capital Partners wants to sell its brewing assets in nine countries, including the Apatin Brewer and Niksic-based Trebjesa, and among the most serious potential buyers are Japanese breweries Asahi and Suntory, Reuters reports.

As Reuters reminds, CVC bought these breweries in 2009 from Anheuser-Busch (AB) InBev, which now has the right of first offer to reacquire the business. However, Reuters notes that the Japanese breweries are the most serious potential buyers, adding that CVC may seek about EUR 3 million for all its breweries, which is close to the price at which they were bought from AB InBev.

Reuters underlines that Asahi, the maker of Japan's top-selling "Super Dry" lager and soft drinks, aims to generate 20-30 percent of its sales overseas.

Rival Suntory is another Japanese brewer in the frame. It too is seeking growth outside its highly competitive and shrinking home market, raising its stake in a French wine estate over the past year.