Who owns Modelo?

Grupo Modelo is owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev, with US rights held by Constellation Brands.

Modelo Ownership

Grupo Modelo has been a fully-owned subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev since 2013, with the exception for the United States, where Constellation Brands owns the rights to the company’s brand portfolio. The US part of the company was sold off as Anheuser-Busch InBev acquired Modelo, because of competition concerns raised by the US Department of Justice.

Grupo Modelo Ownership History

• 1925: Grupo Modelo was founded by a group of businessmen led by Don Pablo Díez Fernández in 1925 in Mexico City, Mexico, beginning its journey as a local brewery.
• 1930s-1980s: The company expanded domestically, establishing itself as a leading beer producer in Mexico.
• 1994: Grupo Modelo goes public on the Mexican Stock Exchange.
• 2013: Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world’s largest brewer, acquired Grupo Modelo for approximately $20.1 billion, marking a significant milestone in the company’s history.
• Post-2013: Under the ownership of Anheuser-Busch InBev, Grupo Modelo continued to operate in Mexico, maintaining its brand identity and heritage while benefiting from expanded distribution and resources provided by its parent company.

What is Modelo?

Modelo, or more correctly, Grupo Modelo, is a Mexican subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world’s largest brewer, since it’s acquisition in 2013.

Grupo Modelo is renowned for producing some of Mexico’s most popular beer brands, including Corona, Modelo Especial, and Negra Modelo, among others. The company operates breweries throughout Mexico and exports its products globally, maintaining a significant presence in the international beer market. Their Corona Extra beer has consistently been ranked as one of the best-selling beers worldwide for a number of years.

Grupo Modelo’s Portfolio

Grupo Modelo’s portfolio features a diverse range of beers that cater to various tastes and occasions. Among its esteemed brands, Modelo Especial and Negra Modelo stand out as iconic offerings that have captivated the palates of consumers globally. The beers are Mexican cultural exports, and the full list as of time of writing is as follows:

• Corona Extra – Perhaps the most internationally recognized Mexican beer, known for its smooth, refreshing taste and commonly served with a lime wedge.
• Modelo Especial – A rich, full-flavored pilsner beer with a crisp and refreshing taste that has found popularity both in Mexico and abroad.
• Negra Modelo (now known as Modelo Negra) – A Munich Dunkel-style lager that offers a smooth, rich taste with hints of caramel and a light hop character.
• Pacífico – A pale lager that originated from the Pacific Coast of Mexico, favored for its light, crisp taste ideal for seafood pairings.
• Victoria – Mexico’s oldest beer brand, offering a Vienna-style lager with a slight malt sweetness and balanced bitterness.
• Estrella Jalisco – A pilsner-style beer with a bright, crisp flavor, embodying the spirit and traditions of Jalisco.
• León – A Munich-style dark beer, known for its smooth, robust flavor profile.
• Montejo – A lager beer that traces its roots back to Yucatán, characterized by its light and refreshing taste.
• Barrilito – A light, easy-drinking beer available in small, barrel-shaped bottles, often enjoyed in casual settings.
• Modelo Chelada Especial and Modelo Chelada Tamarindo Picante – Part of Modelo’s Chelada line, these are pre-mixed beer cocktails combining Modelo beer with traditional Mexican ingredients for a unique, flavorful experience.

Brewing Operations and Craftsmanship

At the heart of Grupo Modelo’s success is its unwavering commitment to the art and science of brewing. With state-of-the-art facilities located across Mexico, including major sites in Mexico City and Zacatecas, the company maintains a balance of traditional brewing methods and modern technology. This approach ensures that every bottle of beer not only meets the highest standards of quality but also captures the authentic taste and spirit of Mexican brewing tradition.

The History of Grupo Modelo

Grupo Modelo was established in 1925 in Mexico City by Don Pablo Díez Fernández along with a group of businessmen, setting the foundation for what would become one of Mexico’s leading breweries. In its early years, the company focused on expanding its brewing operations and diversifying its product range, quickly establishing a strong domestic presence.

As the decades progressed, particularly from the 1950s through the 1970s, Grupo Modelo continued to grow within Mexico, emphasizing quality and leveraging marketing strategies that proudly showcased its Mexican heritage. This period set the stage for its eventual expansion into international markets.

The 1980s marked a significant turning point for Grupo Modelo, with the introduction of Corona Extra to the U.S. market. Corona’s light flavor and distinctive packaging, often served with a lime wedge, resonated with American consumers, leading it to become the top-selling imported beer in the United States. This success helped pave the way for further international expansion.

In 1994, Grupo Modelo went public, listing its shares on the Mexican Stock Exchange. This move provided the company with additional capital to fuel its growth and expansion, both domestically and abroad. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Grupo Modelo saw significant growth in exports, particularly to the United States, solidifying its position as a key player in the global beer market.

The year 2013 marked a new chapter in Grupo Modelo’s history when it was acquired by Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world’s largest brewer. This acquisition allowed Grupo Modelo to benefit from an extensive global distribution network, further expanding its international reach. Despite this change in ownership, Grupo Modelo has continued to operate in Mexico, maintaining its focus on brewing high-quality beers and leveraging its new parent company’s resources to enhance its market presence worldwide.