Heineken to take part in beer consolidation

Dutch brewer Heineken NV expects a quarter of the beer market to consolidate and 'will participate' in that process, its chief executive was quoted as saying at the weekend. CEO Jean-Francois van Boxmeer told the Telegraaf that he expected a quarter of the global beer market will be bought up by the world's top four brewers, Anheuser-Busch InBev, SABMiller Plc, Heineken and Carlsberg.

"That is the game that is going on" Van Boxmeer was quoted as saying by the newspaper. "And we expect to participate."

Mexican brewer and bottler FEMSA, Mexico's No.2 brewer and maker of Dos Equis and Tecate, has put its business up for sale, and the Financial Times reported last month that Heineken was in talks with the Mexican brewer.

Heineken distributes FEMSA beers in the United States, but a source close to the situation told Reuters last week SABMiller is the front-runner to buy the $7.5 billion (4.5 billion pounds) plus brewing operation.