Thai Bev says F&N bids for Peroni, Grolsch beer brands

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BANGKOK, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Thai Beverage (Dusseldorf: T6W.DU - news) has used its Singapore-listed unit Fraser and Neave to bid for SABMiller (Xetra: BRW1.DE - news) 's Peroni and Grolsch beer brands, the Thai firm's Chief Executive Thapana Sirivadhanabhakdi said on Monday.

The non-binding bid was an attempt by the group to expand into premium brands with strong market positions, Thapana told reporters on the sidelines of a seminar. He gave no details about pricing.

His comments confirmed a Reuters report last Thursday that Thai Beverage was among bidders going through to the final stages of an auction to buy the two brands in a deal that could be worth up to 3 billion euros ($3.24 billion).

Japan's Asahi Group Holdings (Other OTC: ASBRY - news) , private equity firms PAI Partners and Bain Capital and European buyout fund EQT have also been shortlisted by the seller, Anheuser-Busch InBev , sources with knowledge of the matter said.

"This will be an opportunity for us to increase international brands into our portfolio," Thapana said, adding F&N aimed to bring the two brands to sell in Southeast Asia.

Thai Beverage, also known as ThaiBev, controlled by Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi, Thailand's second-richest man, is aiming to expand into Southeast Asian countries, especially Vietnam, Thapana said.

Thai Bev, one of Southeast Asia's largest drinks companies, took control of F&N in 2013.

The sale of the Peroni and Grolsch brands, which sources said AB InBev wants to wrap up by the beginning of March, is aimed at easing anti-trust approval for AB InBev's $100 billion-plus takeover of SABMiller. ($1 = 0.9252 euros) (Reporting by Manunphattr Dhanananphorn; Writing by Khettiya Jittapong; editing by Susan Thomas and Adrian Croft)