Miller Brewing and Grolsch in alliance talks
regarding the brewing, bottling, sales, marketing and distribution
on Miller Genuine Draft in several Western European countries.
Royal Grolsch NV, the Dutch brewing company, announced it entered into a multi-year alliance with Philip Morris Companies Inc. unit Miller Brewing Co. for various markets in continental Europe. Grolsch will brew and bottle Miller Genuine Draft for the markets involved, while it will also sell, market and distribute Miller Genuine Draft in the Netherlands and France. According to Grolsch spokesman Coen Thoenissen, Grolsch will brew and bottle Miller Genuine Draft for the Dutch, French and German markets "and a number of other markets, but that will be up to Miller to decide. We have agreed on a minimum volume, and to Grolsch it doesn't matter what language the label of the bottle is in." No financial details were disclosed, but the spokesman noted it was "an attractive agreement," which would not change Grolsch's long-term financial goals "but merely fill them in."
