Barton and Modelo Create Joint Venture

We've waited a long time for this news, and finally it has come. After the current import contract with The Gambrinus Company expires on December 31, 2006, Grupo Modelo and Barton Beers will jointly import the Corona brands, without the inclusion of Anheuser-Busch (see BBD 07/13/2006). This has caused a collective sigh of relief for many non-A-B Corona distributors across the country. However, it is not good news for Eastern A-B distributors, as Barton has approved far fewer A-B/Corona deals