The origins of AB InBev trace back to three distinct brewing traditions that were consolidated through a series of landmark mergers over roughly two decades.
Interbrew, the Belgian predecessor, was itself the product of a 1988 merger between two historic Belgian breweries: Artois, founded in Leuven in 1366 and known for Stella Artois, and Piedboeuf, brewer of Jupiler. Interbrew expanded aggressively through acquisitions during the 1990s, acquiring Labatt Brewing in Canada in 1995 for approximately $2.7 billion and Bass Brewers in the United Kingdom in 2000 for approximately $3 billion, among numerous other deals. By the early 2000s, Interbrew was one of the world's three largest brewers.
AmBev, the Brazilian predecessor, was formed in 1999 through the merger of Brahma and Antarctica, the two dominant Brazilian brewers. The combined entity became the largest beverage company in Latin America and the fifth-largest brewer globally. AmBev's management team, backed by the Brazilian private equity firm 3G Capital and its predecessors, became known for aggressive cost management and operational efficiency.
In 2004, Interbrew and AmBev merged to form InBev, creating the world's largest brewer at the time. The deal was structured so that AmBev's shareholders received InBev shares, giving the Brazilian management group and 3G Capital significant influence over the combined entity. Jorge Paulo Lemann, Marcel Telles, and Carlos Alberto Sicupira, the founders of 3G Capital, became major shareholders and board members of InBev.
In 2008, InBev made its most consequential move: the $52 billion acquisition of Anheuser-Busch, the American brewer founded in St. Louis, Missouri in 1852 by Eberhard Anheuser and Adolphus Busch. Anheuser-Busch was the maker of Budweiser, Bud Light, and Busch, and was the dominant brewer in the United States. The deal, which was initially resisted by Anheuser-Busch's board, created AB InBev and established the company as the clear global leader in brewing. The combined entity controlled approximately 25% of global beer volume at the time of closing.
The 2016 acquisition of SABMiller for approximately $107 billion was the largest transaction in the history of the brewing industry and one of the largest corporate acquisitions ever completed. SABMiller brought major brands including Peroni, Grolsch, and Pilsner Urquell into the AB InBev portfolio, along with dominant market positions in Africa and parts of Asia. To satisfy antitrust regulators in the United States and China, AB InBev was required to divest several brands, including the U.S. rights to Miller brands, which were sold to Molson Coors, and the Chinese Snow brand, which was sold to China Resources Beer. The SABMiller acquisition left AB InBev with substantial debt, driving a multi-year deleveraging program that continued through 2025.
In October 2025, AB InBev announced a $6 billion share buyback program, reflecting confidence in the company's cash generation and balance sheet strength as net debt fell to 2.87 times EBITDA. CEO Michel Doukeris, who took over from Carlos Brito in 2021, has focused the company's strategy on premiumization, digital commerce, and beyond beer categories including non-alcoholic beverages and hard seltzers.
For full-year 2025, AB InBev reported revenue of $59.32 billion, normalized EBITDA of $21.22 billion, and underlying EPS of $3.73, up 6% year over year. Volume declined 2.3% for the full year, reflecting challenging consumer environments in several key markets, while revenue per hectoliter grew 4.4%, demonstrating the effectiveness of the premiumization strategy.