Backus and Johnston
Lima, Lima, Peru · Est. 1879
Tally's Take
Why this matters
A de facto monopoly over what Peru drinks, held since 1879. Choice is the thing the Peruvian beer market has least of.
The Museum
Timeline
- 2016Absorbed in the SABMiller takeover
Passes to Anheuser-Busch InBev on 10 October 2016, when AB InBev completed its takeover of SABMiller — a roughly $79bn deal that reshaped brewing on four continents in a single transaction. As part of the same transaction AB InBev transferred SABMiller's Panama business to Ambev in exchange for Ambev's businesses in Colombia, Peru and Ecuador, so this brewery sits under Ambev within the AB InBev group rather than being held directly. Source: AB InBev 20-F, FY2016.
The Beer Library
Beers
Cristal
Year-RoundPale Lager
Backus y Johnston started out in 1879 making ice, not beer, before expanding into brewing and launching Cristal in 1922. It has been Peru's best-selling beer for so long that most Peruvians would be surprised to learn there's a completely unrelated beer with the exact same name two countries south.
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How it changed hands
1 recorded move- 1879Founded
- 2016Absorbed in the SABMiller takeover
Passes to Anheuser-Busch InBev on 10 October 2016, when AB InBev completed its takeover of SABMiller — a roughly $79bn deal that reshaped brewing on four continents in a single transaction. As part of the same transaction AB InBev transferred SABMiller's Panama business to Ambev in exchange for Ambev's businesses in Colombia, Peru and Ecuador, so this brewery sits under Ambev within the AB InBev group rather than being held directly. Source: AB InBev 20-F, FY2016.
Today the chain tops out at Anheuser-Busch InBev.
Show your working
Sources
- controlConfirmed
Backus and Johnston is controlled by Founder / family.
Anheuser-Busch InBev — SEC filing · U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission · 2026-02
PrimaryHigh reliabilityAccessed 2026-08-05Reviewed 2026-08-05
Only the claims above are sourced. Everything else on this page is the archive's own research and has not yet been tied to a document — which is worth knowing rather than hiding.
Straight answers
Common questions about Backus and Johnston
- Who owns Backus and Johnston?
- Backus and Johnston is owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev. Backus and Johnston is based in Lima, Lima, Peru.
- Is Backus and Johnston still independent?
- No. Backus and Johnston is owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev and is no longer independent.
- When was Backus and Johnston acquired?
- 2016. Passes to Anheuser-Busch InBev on 10 October 2016, when AB InBev completed its takeover of SABMiller — a roughly $79bn deal that reshaped brewing on four continents in a single transaction. As part of the same transaction AB InBev transferred SABMiller's Panama business to Ambev in exchange for Ambev's businesses in Colombia, Peru and Ecuador, so this brewery sits under Ambev within the AB InBev group rather than being held directly. Source: AB InBev 20-F, FY2016.
- When was Backus and Johnston founded?
- Backus and Johnston was founded in 1879 in Lima, Lima, Peru.
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