Japanese beer producer Asahi, which is currently under negotiations to buy beer producer StarBev, could enter the Romanian market directly, as it would also take over local brand Bergenbier, owned by StarBev.

The international deal, evaluated at some USD 3 billion by Reuters, could be announced early this week. Asahi is in negotiations with investment fund CVC Capital Partners, which bought StarBev in 2009. The fund was approached by other brewers: Carlsberg, SABMiller and Heineken, which wanted to take over StarBev.

The private equity firm had bought the business from the world's largest brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev. It has operations in nine eastern European countries including the Czech Republic, Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary.

Bergenbier, with a turnover of some EUR 112 million in 2010, produces beer under the brands Bergenbier, Noroc, Staropramen, Stella Artois, Beck's and Löwenbräu. Asahi is known for Japan's best sold beer, Super Dry.

editor@romania-insider.com