The European brewing giant yesterday began its campaign to win over AB shareholders.

InBev chief Carlos Brito said he hoped to strike a friendly deal for the St Louis-based maker of the self-proclaimed “King of Beers”.

He described the offer, at a 35 per cent premium, as full and fair and said one of the goals was to turn Budweiser into a global brand. But the move has already sparked opposition in the US where Anheuser-Busch generates 80 per cent of its sales.

A website, called SaveAB.com, has been set up. Missouri Gover­nor Matt Blunt said: “I am strongly opposed to the sale and the offer... is deeply troubling to me.”

Shares in FTSE 100 brewer SAB Miller, once seen as a potential target for InBev, fell 38p to 1200p.

SAB said it did not think the deal would change the competitive landscape since AB already distributed InBev products in the US.