Tuesday 10 September 2013

Shareholders endorse Consolidated Breweries’ sale of 57% equity stake in Champion Breweries

Shareholders endorse Consolidated Breweries’ sale of 57% equity stake in Champion Breweries
At the Extra-Ordinary General Meeting of Consolidated Breweries Plc held on the 23rd of August, 2013, shareholders of the company voted in favor of the Board’s proposal to sell 513,000,000 ordinary shares of 50 kobo each in Champion Breweries Plc held by Consolidated Breweries to The Raysun Nigeria Limited, a wholly owned Heineken B V subsidiary.

Addressing shareholders at the meeting which held at Lagoon Restaurant, Victoria Island, Lagos, Chairman, Consolidated Breweries Plc, Prof (Mrs) Oyinade Odutola-Olurin  noted that as part of the sale, Raysun will be assigned all of the rights to and interests in the debt owed to Consolidated Breweries by Champion Breweries. The sale, according to her, will reduce Consolidated Breweries’ exposure to Champion Breweries’ debt balance and eliminate the losses from Champion Breweries’ operations that are consolidated with Consolidated Breweries group’s financial performance.


“Champion Breweries has recorded losses over the years, and has relied on financing from Consolidated Breweries in the form of intercompany debt. 

The associated interest burden of the intercompany debts on Champion Breweries has negatively impacted its profitability. Champion Breweries’ losses, coupled with the high cost of financing Champion Breweries’ operations, have in turn, negatively impacted Consolidated Breweries’ group earnings. Therefore, it is in the best interest of Consolidated Breweries and Champion Breweries for the company to now be owned by Raysun, where Champion Breweries’ financing and restructuring needs can be more adequately met”, she said.

She added that the sale will further optimize Consolidated Breweries’ operations by reducing excess production capacity it no longer needs for its own brands and directly align Champion Breweries with Heineken, via ownership by Raysun, and thereby assure clear focus on Champion Breweries’ turnaround.


According to her, the sale is subject to the approval of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), as an application will be submitted to SEC for its approval prior to finalizing the transaction. 

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