MillerCoors
A United States beer-brewing joint venture that operated from 2008 until its corporate name was retired during Molson Coors's 2020 restructuring.
Last updated August 21, 2026
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Overview
MillerCoors was a United States beer-brewing company created by SABMiller and Molson Coors to combine their American brewing, marketing, and sales operations. The joint venture was announced in October 2007, received regulatory approval on June 5, 2008, and began operating on July 1, 2008, after completion on June 30. Its formation brought together the U.S. activities associated with Miller and Coors within a single operating structure while leaving the parent companies with ownership interests in the venture. The company operated in a highly competitive American beer market and managed a portfolio that included mainstream domestic labels as well as brands positioned in light beer, specialty, import, and craft-oriented segments. Miller Lite, Coors Light, and Blue Moon were among the best-known offerings associated with its portfolio. The business also held U.S. and Puerto Rico rights to additional brands, including Redd's and imported labels such as Peroni, Grolsch, and Pilsner Urquell, under the ownership arrangements that followed the 2016 transaction. MillerCoors's ownership changed as part of the proposed combination of Anheuser-Busch InBev and SABMiller. U.S. regulatory approval for that transaction required SABMiller to divest its MillerCoors interests and related Miller brand rights. On October 11, 2016, SABMiller sold its stake in MillerCoors to Molson Coors for approximately US$12 billion, making Molson Coors the venture's sole owner. The transaction also gave Molson Coors control of the relevant Miller portfolio in the United States and Puerto Rico and helped establish it as the world's third-largest brewer, according to the referenced account. The company subsequently reduced its physical footprint. MillerCoors announced in September 2015 that it would close its Eden, North Carolina brewery in September 2016, citing declining corporate sales. The proposed closure also became the subject of litigation involving Pabst Brewing Company and Blue Ribbon Intermediate Holdings, which sought to continue producing Pabst beers at the facility. The parties settled the dispute in late November 2018 before a verdict was issued. MillerCoors ceased to be the continuing corporate identity during Molson Coors's broader restructuring. On January 1, 2020, Molson Coors Brewing Company changed its name to Molson Coors Beverage Company and reorganized its operations into North American and European business units. The MillerCoors name was retired as a corporate brand, with the former business consolidated into Molson Coors North America. The individual beer brands associated with the former company continued to be managed within the Molson Coors portfolio, but MillerCoors itself is best treated as a defunct corporate entity rather than an independent current brewer.
History
MillerCoors originated in a planned combination of the United States operations of SABMiller and Molson Coors. The companies announced the joint venture in October 2007, seeking to integrate their American brewing, marketing, and sales activities. Regulatory approval arrived on June 5, 2008. The transaction was completed on June 30, and MillerCoors began operating on July 1, 2008. The resulting company managed a substantial portfolio of beer brands in the United States. Its best-known labels included Miller Lite, Coors Light, and Blue Moon, while the portfolio also covered additional domestic, specialty, craft-style, and imported brands. The business operated primarily as an American market company, although its brand rights included the United States and Puerto Rico. The ownership structure remained divided between SABMiller and Molson Coors during the first phase of its existence. MillerCoors later became involved in the restructuring required for Anheuser-Busch InBev's acquisition of SABMiller. In order to address United States competition concerns, SABMiller agreed to divest its MillerCoors interests and related Miller brand rights. On October 11, 2016, SABMiller sold its stake to Molson Coors for approximately US$12 billion. Molson Coors consequently became the 100 percent owner of MillerCoors and retained rights to the relevant U.S. and Puerto Rico portfolio, including Redd's and imported brands such as Peroni, Grolsch, and Pilsner Urquell. The company also adjusted its production network. In September 2015, it announced that the Eden, North Carolina brewery would close in September 2016, citing declining corporate sales. The decision generated a dispute with Pabst Brewing Company and Blue Ribbon Intermediate Holdings, which wanted to continue producing Pabst beers at the site. The parties ultimately settled in late November 2018, before the case reached a verdict. MillerCoors's independent corporate identity ended during Molson Coors's 2020 restructuring. Effective January 1, 2020, Molson Coors Brewing Company adopted the name Molson Coors Beverage Company. The group reorganized its four business units into Molson Coors North America and Molson Coors Europe and retired the MillerCoors corporate brand name. The former company therefore remains historically important as the structure through which Molson Coors and SABMiller combined their U.S. beer operations, but it is no longer a separate operating company under that name.
- 2020
Corporate name retired
[1]Molson Coors Beverage Company consolidated the former MillerCoors business into Molson Coors North America and discontinued the MillerCoors corporate name.
- 2018
Eden-related litigation settled
[1]MillerCoors and Pabst-related entities settled their dispute concerning continued brewing at the Eden facility.
- 2016
Molson Coors becomes sole owner
[1]Molson Coors acquired SABMiller's MillerCoors stake for approximately US$12 billion following the SABMiller acquisition by Anheuser-Busch InBev.
- 2015
Eden brewery closure announced
[1]MillerCoors announced the planned September 2016 closure of its Eden, North Carolina brewery.
- 2008
Regulatory approval and launch
[1]The venture was approved on June 5, completed on June 30, and began operations on July 1.
- 2007
Joint venture announced
[1]SABMiller and Molson Coors announced plans to combine their U.S. brewing, marketing, and sales operations.
Products and positioning
A large-scale American beer operator combining mainstream domestic brands with light beer, specialty, craft-style, and imported offerings.
Light beer
Miller Lite
A principal light-beer label associated with the Miller portfolio managed by MillerCoors in the United States.
Light beer
Coors Light
A major Coors light-beer brand included among the best-known offerings connected with MillerCoors's U.S. portfolio.
Specialty beer
Blue Moon
A specialty beer brand associated with MillerCoors and positioned outside the company's core mainstream light-lager labels.
Flavored beer
Redd's
A brand included in the U.S. and Puerto Rico rights retained by Molson Coors after its acquisition of SABMiller's MillerCoors interest.
Imported beer
Peroni
An imported beer brand whose U.S. and Puerto Rico rights were included among the brands retained by Molson Coors in the 2016 ownership transaction.
Imported beer
Grolsch
An imported beer label identified as part of the relevant MillerCoors portfolio rights transferred to Molson Coors.
Imported beer
Pilsner Urquell
An imported beer brand included among the portfolio rights retained by Molson Coors for the United States and Puerto Rico.
Controversies
2019
Jason Mraz sues MillerCoors over Coors Light advertisement
Jason Mraz sued MillerCoors over a Coors Light Instagram advertisement that he alleges used an unauthorized clip of him performing “I'm Yours,” along with his image. MillerCoors said it had contractual rights to post the video and removed it after Mraz's team reached out.
Brand decisions
2020
Retire the MillerCoors corporate identityStrategyBackground
Molson Coors undertook a corporate restructuring and changed its corporate name to Molson Coors Beverage Company.
Action taken
The former MillerCoors business was consolidated into Molson Coors North America, and the MillerCoors corporate name was retired.
Aftermath
MillerCoors ceased to operate as a separate corporate brand, while associated beer labels remained within the Molson Coors portfolio.
2016
Acquire SABMiller's ownership stakeM&ABackground
The Anheuser-Busch InBev acquisition of SABMiller required the divestiture of SABMiller's MillerCoors interests and related Miller rights in the United States.
Action taken
Molson Coors purchased SABMiller's stake for approximately US$12 billion and became the sole owner of MillerCoors.
Aftermath
Molson Coors retained the relevant U.S. and Puerto Rico rights to the MillerCoors portfolio and expanded its control of the combined business.
Purchase price. Approximately US$12 billion (October 11, 2016)
2015
Close the Eden breweryStrategyBackground
MillerCoors cited declining corporate sales when discussing the future of its Eden, North Carolina facility.
Action taken
The company announced that the brewery would close in September 2016.
Aftermath
The closure led to a dispute with Pabst-related entities over continued production at the site; that litigation was settled in 2018.
2007
Create a combined U.S. brewing businessM&ABackground
SABMiller and Molson Coors sought to combine their U.S. brewing, marketing, and sales operations.
Action taken
They announced the MillerCoors joint venture, which was later approved and launched in 2008.
Aftermath
The venture became the operating structure for the companies' combined American beer activities.
Recent events
- 2020
Molson Coors retires the MillerCoors corporate name[1]
Leadership change
Molson Coors Brewing Company changed its name to Molson Coors Beverage Company and consolidated its former MillerCoors business into Molson Coors North America as part of a corporate restructuring.
- 2018
Pabst litigation over Eden production facility is settled[1]
Lawsuit
Pabst Brewing Company and Blue Ribbon Intermediate Holdings had sued in connection with continued production of Pabst beers at Eden. The parties reached a settlement in late November 2018 before a verdict.
- 2016
Molson Coors acquires SABMiller's MillerCoors stake[1]
M&A · Regulation
Following the Anheuser-Busch InBev acquisition of SABMiller, SABMiller sold its MillerCoors interest to Molson Coors for approximately US$12 billion, making Molson Coors the sole owner.
- 2015
MillerCoors announces closure of Eden brewery[1]
Other
The company announced that its Eden, North Carolina brewery would close in September 2016, attributing the decision to declining corporate sales.
- 2008
Regulators approve the MillerCoors venture[1]
Regulation · M&A
The proposed joint venture received regulatory approval on June 5, 2008, and was completed later that month.
- 2008
MillerCoors begins operations[1]
M&A · Other
MillerCoors began operating on July 1 after the combination of the U.S. brewing, marketing, and sales operations of its two parent companies.
- 2007
SABMiller and Molson Coors announce MillerCoors joint venture[1]
M&A · Other
SABMiller and Molson Coors announced plans to combine their United States brewing, marketing, and sales operations through a new joint venture.
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