RPT-Anheuser-Busch adds Czech beer to import portfolio

...Budejovicky Budvar on Monday.

Terms of the deal, which went into effect on Jan. 5, were not disclosed.

The agreement does not impact existing litigation or trademark disputes between the two brewers in other countries, and they have agreed the partnership cannot be used to support either side in any trademark cases.

The deal is the latest example of the St. Louis-based brewer's aggressive push into the high-end and import beer category, whose sales are growing faster than domestic beers such as Anheuser's Budweiser and Bud Light, which is the top-selling beer in the United States.

Anheuser already imports Grolsh from the Netherlands, Tiger from Singapore, and Kirin from Japan. It recently announced a deal with InBev , giving it exclusive rights to distribute InBev brands such as Stella Artois, Beck's, Bass Pale Ale and Hoegaarden in the United States.

Anheuser-Busch shares were down 19 cents at $48.61 on the New York Stock Exchange in morning trade.

[YORK/Reuters/Finance.cz]