Carlsberg Seizes Holsten To Dominate German North

A bold move to expand its presence in the German beer market, Europe's largest, has seen Denmark's Carlsberg Breweries acquire Holsten Brauerei in a deal valued at Euros 1.065bn, subject to shareholder approval. The deal will make Carlsberg the leading brewer in the north of Germany and the fifth largest in Germany as a whole. As part of the deal, Holsten's mineral water business will be sold off, while the group's Konig-Brauerei in Duisburg and Licher Privatbraueri in Lich will be sold to Bitburger. The disposals will see Carlsberg pay a net value of Euros 437m for the assets it is acquiring.