Belgian brewer Interbrew said on Monday it had agreed to acquire the whole of privately-owned German beer brewer Beck GmbH & Co for 3.5 billion German marks ($1.58 billion). Beck's is the fourth largest German brewer with a volume of over 5.5 million hectolitres. "Beck's provides an excellent fit with our strategy of acquiring and developing strong brands in local markets," Interbrew Chief Executive Officer Hugo Powell said in a statement. The deal is subject to approval by Beck's shareholders and the regulatory authorities, Interbrew said. Shares in Interbrew were quoted between 30.00 and 30.49 euros in the pre-open on Monday, up from Friday's close at 29.80 euros.
