The U.S. Molson Coors company announced on April 3 that it had signed a binding contract on acquiring the Starbev brewery, which is owned by the Apatin and Niksic breweries, for EUR2.65 billion.

A statement said that the acquisition of Starbev Group, which operates nine breweries in central and eastern Europe, was part of Molson Coor's strategy to intensify its presence in growing markets around the world. The transaction will be completed in the second quarter, after the deal is approved by anti-monopoly agencies in Europe.

After the deal is realized, Starbev will continue doing business as an independent division inside Molson Coors, which will keep its headquarters in the Czech Republic. Starbev employs around 4,100 people in the Czech Republic, Serbia, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Montenegro, and does business in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Slovakia.