Busch family member urges Anheuser board to negotiate

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Anheuser-Busch Cos Inc (BUD.N) board of directors has a duty to begin negotiating with its suitor InBev NV INTB.BR to bring about a deal and benefit shareholders, a Busch family member said on Friday.

As the brewer's board met on Friday to discuss InBev's $46.3 billion takeover offer, Adolphus A. Busch IV, an uncle of Chief Executive August Busch IV, sent them a letter in which he said InBev's takeover offer provided opportunity for Anheuser brands, which include Budweiser, to compete globally.

Busch, who is an Anheuser shareholder, said he realizes now that "it is really not a choice at all" between shareholder value and family legacy.

InBev is offering $65 per share.

"I believe that as directors you have a fiduciary duty to commence negotiations with InBev in order to bring about this deal and allow the shareholders to receive the price proposed by InBev," said the letter, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters.

"I am confident that you will do what is in the best interests of all the shareholders and that with the combination of InBev and Anheuser-Busch, Budweiser will once again be truly the 'King of Beers'," Busch said.

Given what InBev has done in Canada, Busch said he does not view commitments made by InBev Chief Executive Carlos Brito as "mere words."

"I have been extremely impressed with the way in which InBev has grown the Budweiser brand in Canada, where it is now the number one selling beer," Busch said. InBev distributes Budweiser in Canada, and Anheuser distributes some InBev beers in the U.S., including Stella Artois and Beck's.

(Reporting by Martinne Geller; editing by Carol Bishopric)