Case Details

Year Initiated/Committed

1986

Year Resolved

1992

Settlement Amount

$275,000 (Miler), $21,000 (Dana Distributing)

Court

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York

Docket Number

86 CIV. 2345

Lead State

NY

Participating States

NY

Defendant(s)

Anheuser-Busch, Inc.; Miller Brewing Company; G. Heilman Brewing Company, Inc.; The Stroh Brewery Company; the New York State Beer Wholesalers Association, Inc.; Union Beer Distributors; Midway Beverage Corp.; Reiter’s Beer Distributors Inc.

Case Description

The state alleged that on or about December of 1982 Anheuser-Busch and its franchised wholesalers entered into market allocation contracts where each franchised wholesaler was assigned a territory and forbidden from selling Anheuser-Bush beer to distributors outside its assigned area. Following the Anheuser-Bush agreements, Miller, Heilman, and Stroh allegedly entered into similar contracts with their distributors. the state alleged that these contracts eliminated competition among franchised wholesalers in the sale of beer made by these brewers. Various defendants, including Miller and Dana Distributing, entered into settlement agreements. Anheuser-Busch took the matter to trial and prevailed at trial.