European market regulators give OK to Coors, Miller merger

LONDON and DENVER, Colo. In the spirits market, the European Commission has given two formerly rival beer brands the go-ahead to marry.

The European Commission yesterday approved a proposed merger between the Coors Brewing Company of Colorado and the U.S. and Puerto Rican operations of Miller Brewing Co. of Milwaukee. The new company will be called MillerCoors.

The media has reported that the EC waved the green flag after finding no competitive concerns in Europe.

Parent companies of Coors and Miller, Molson Coors Brewing Company of Denver, Colo., and SABMiller of London, agreed last October to merge operations of Coors and Miller. The merger completed a plan to better compete with Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc. of St. Louis, Mo.