SAB Miller, one of the world's largest breweries based at South Africa, purchased 49 percent of CR Snow, which pushed it above Tsingtao beer to become the country's top beer manufacturer within two years.
However, after Inbev's deal with AB, China's beer industry is expected to be reshuffled as the market used to be dominated by CR Snow, Yanjing and Tsingtao.
Analysts and industry insiders hold various opinions on the deal, which would threaten or pressurize China's three major breweries.
"The merger hasn't had an impacts on Chinese market so far," said Guo Yanhong, director of Corporate Affairs of InBev China.
The speed of InBev's deployment in China would not be fast, so the industry structure might not be largely changed this year, an analyst from Datong Securities echoed.
Integrations and mergers are usual in the beer industry as the concentration ratio of the sector has been intensified. Emerging powerful enterprises are impetus for Tsingtao Brewery, a source from Tsingtao Brewery Co said in an earlier media report.
"Impacts of the combination are unclear for Tsingtao," another source with Tsingtao Brewery told China Daily, refusing to leak more details.
For Tsingtao, which claims 35 percent of the premium market, a deal would not likely change its shareholding structure, analysts said.
"Tsingtao does not care who the shareholder is, AB or InBev - it makes no difference to them," said Lei Yang, an analyst for ABN AMRO based in Shanghai, adding that Tsingtao's foreign partner doesn't play a big role in its decision-making and strategy.
An Analyst from Datong Securities added that Tsingtao still possess advantages as it has been constantly working on improving its product structure, ensuring its growth of profits.
In addition, Yanjing is planning to issue 110 million shares in a bid to reform its brewing technologies and its production capacity will be greatly improved if it is completed.
Unlike many of its competitors that are adopting foreign capitals, it is not necessary for Yanjing to follow suit, said an officer from Yanjing Brewery.
Yet, in the last two years, Yanjing's profit margin and market share has not improved, said Li Zhiqi, CEO of China Brand Consultation Team, adding that considering capital and technology, it was better for Yanjing to accept support from foreign enterprises.
