Australian for ale-pocalyse: The Asia-Pacific Tipline for 30 August 2019

It has long been a tradition in Australia to knock back a drink at the lunch hour. Asahi and the Anheuser-Busch InBev-owned Carlton Breweries produce 21 different brands of beer between them, including Foster’s, once advertised internationally as "Australian for beer". Carlton also distributes 11 other brands of beer, and both companies are active in the cider and spirits markets. It’s no wonder that a merger between the two has caught the attention of Australia’s competition watchdog, especially since the deal comes in the wake of “Beermageddon” – the popular term ascribed to AB InBev’s acquisition of SABMiller a few years ago.