Heineken rejects SABMiller takeover bid

SABMiller, the second-biggest beer brewer in the world, announced an interest to buy Dutch beer company Heineken on Sunday. On Monday, Heineken has rejected the offer, wishing to remain an independent company, the NOS reports. For the Dutch company, "the heritage of Heineken as independent company" stands central to their future, and is an image that they want to maintain. They aim to honor the wishes of shareholders before anything else. SABMiller made the offer on Sunday, according to Bloomberg. According to the NOS, the offer was meant to protect Heineken from a possible offer from Arnheuser-Busch InBev NV, which is the biggest brewery in the world. InBev owns Budweiser, Corona and Stella Artois, among other brands. SABMiller, an originally South African company, but now headquartered in London, owns brands such as Grolsch.