The world’s biggest brewing group, Anheuser-Busch Inbev, is planning to bid for competitor SABMiller, which owns Dutch brewer Grolsch.

According to the Financial Times, a merger could create a company with a market value of $250bn.

SABMiller has confirmed Anheuser-Busch Inbev plans to make an offer. ‘No proposal has yet been received and the board of SABMiller has no further details about the terms of any such proposal,’ the brewing group said in a short statement in response to the press speculation.

‘In the interim, shareholders are strongly advised to retain their shares and to take no action.’

British-South African brewing group SABMiller bought Grolsch for €816m at the end of 2007. Any takeover would need to be approved by the regulatory authorities.