It’s Monday morning and, in case you were wondering, it’s still all about the money. From Yahoo News.
U.S. brewer Anheuser-Busch Cos Inc. agreed to a $50 billion takeover by Belgium-based InBev, a source familiar with the situation said on Sunday, creating the world’s largest beer maker.
That’s right, after all of the squawking, manipulation of public opinion, calling in of political markers, petitions blah, blah, blah….Anheuser-Busch, the pride of St. Louis for 150 years, has caved in, taken the cash, sold out. And now, the King of Beers is a Belgian/Brazillian conglomerate.
The deal brings an amicable resolution to a month-long saga that was becoming increasingly hostile as the two companies sued each other and InBev set the stage to try to replace Anheuser’s board of directors.
Led by Chief Executive Carlos Brito, InBev is known for ruthless cost-cutting.
Not to worry, cost cutting doesn’t always mean downsizing sometimes, it can be achieved by merely sacrificing quality.
InBev promises that it will be business as usual, there will be no drastic changes.
With a bold P.R. move, clearly designed to ease the minds of consumers and hammer home the point that, not only the tradition will continue, the tradition will be better, InBev proudly introduces the new and improved Bud Girls.
Sans Direction wrote,
Not sure what I think of this.
I’ve been booze-free for over 10 years now, so that’s not an issue.
My dad used to work in a government facility across the street from the main Bud plant, and I’ve taken the factory tour and all. You could smell the hops a mile away. I do have good memories of that place.
Sans Direction’s last blog post..I Think I Got A Bootleg
Link | July 14th, 2008 at 9:14 am
Pribek wrote,
I gave up the barley myself, a while back, Sans. So, like you say, I’m not concerned as a consumer. 150 years in the same location+If it works don’t fix it. The profits are down but that’s cyclical, things don’t get the chance to run in cycles anymore.
I know brewery workers whose Grandfather’s Grandfather’s worked at that place.
How often, anymore, do you see a guy that put in 40 years at a company and retired from that company. That used to be the heart of what the city was about.
Things change.
Link | July 14th, 2008 at 9:31 am
Sans Direction wrote,
That they do.
I’m reminded of something else.
Back when I was in school for my useless degree (as opposed to my useful degree), there was a guy on the college coffeehouse circuit named Billy McLaughlin. There were a few albums that everyone I knew owned, and his two, Inhale Pink and Exhale Blue, were among them. Good stuff, in a Michael Hedges sort of way.
A few years ago, he also lost the ability to play, and has had to reteach himself. He does his Hedges-y stuff left-handed. There’s some of his stuff here.
Sans Direction’s last blog post..I Think I Got A Bootleg
Link | July 14th, 2008 at 10:28 am
Pat Darnell and Friends wrote,
Frogs are sort of a cross between Mick Jagger and Rodney Dangerfield… just depends if you want a tongue or an eye ball.
And Bob may not be their Uncle; but Fanny is surely their Aunt.
oh yeah, favorite facts: one billion dollar bills end to end stretches to the moon… it takes another billion to get back. Beer / Moon … Beer / Moon … Tongue / Eye …
Wait a minute… That’s Mrs Magdelena my Spanish Professor in the ‘weis’ position!!!! She told me that she would give me a C if I never told anyone she had been my Spanish Prof. I took the C… she must have had lazik!!
Lookin’ good Mrs M’
Pat Darnell and Friends’s last blog post..Aahhh… Endings are the most difficult to come up with
Link | July 14th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
J wrote,
Dit Budweiser is voor u!!
J’s last blog post..Today in Pictures
Link | July 14th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
Pribek wrote,
Flemish?
I think I see your point here, Sans. You have to adapt to change.
A-B kept the payroll active by making ice cream and root beer during prohibition. Now, they are selling out after a couple of years of profits being off a few ticks.
Link | July 14th, 2008 at 5:35 pm