License Approval Forthcoming for ABI in Kentucky Branch Acquisition

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In the aftermath of a Franklin County circuit court ruling that the Kentucky Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) must issue Anheuser-Busch Inbev (ABI) a distributor’s license for the Budweiser of Owensboro distributorship, the Director of the Kentucky ABC Malt Beverage Division has conditionally approved the license pending submission of further documentation to clarify information which has been deemed either incomplete or inaccurate. The director expressed ongoing concerns, however, relating to access to market issues for craft brewers. ABI’s acquisition had been opposed by the Kentucky Guild of Brewers, The National Beer Wholesalers Association, the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers Association, the MillerCoors wholesalers, several of the state’s ABI distributors and retailers.