Brewer AB InBev agrees sale of Peroni and Grolsch lagers for £2bn

Budweiser brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev has agreed a 2.55 billion euro (£2 billion) deal to sell European lager brands Peroni and Grolsch as it moves a step closer to sealing its takeover of SABMiller.

Japanese brewer Asahi - known for its Super Dry beer - will buy Peroni and Grolsch in the UK and Europe, as well as London's Meantime brewery, which are being put up for sale by AB InBev to help ease regulatory concerns over its £71 billion takeover of SABMiller.

Asahi first tabled its offer in February and the pair have since been in exclusive talks.

The deal is dependent on the completion of the SABMiller takeover, which is set to go through in the second half of the year.

Asahi's offer includes the Peroni, Grolsch and Meantime brands, as well as SABMiller's Italian, Dutch and British operations which make and distribute the brands.

It also includes the global rights to the Grolsch, Peroni and Meantime brands, except in the United States.

Asahi said on unveiling its offer in February that it had been looking to grow internationally "for some time", adding that it hoped the deal would help the group "expand its growth platform in Europe and become a global player with a distinct position".