AB to buy CBA

The U.S. Justice Department approved Anheuser-Busch's plan to buy the shares of Craft Brew Alliance that it does not already own. It was announced in November that the $220 million deal was approved on condition the companies sell Craft Brew Alliance's Kona brand beer. The Portland-based CBA's other brands include Appalachian Mountain Brewery, Cisco Brewers, Redhook Brewery and Widmer Brothers Brewing. Anheuser-Busch owned 31.2% of CBA before the deal was announced, and also distributed many of CBA's brands. "CBA’s diverse portfolio of national lifestyle brands and award-winning regional breweries are an excellent complement to our family of craft partners," said Marcelo Michaelis, president of ABI's Brewers Collective business unit.