Chinese beer gaining on the leaders

For $100, what is the top-selling beer in the world?

Right. It's Budweiser.

Now, for $1,000, what is the second-best selling beer?

A trick question, perhaps. At this very moment it's the Belgian brew Skol. But, says part-owner SABMiller, the Chinese brand Snow is about to overtake it.

Snow is owned 51% by China resources Group Ltd. and 49% by SABMiller. It rose to No. 4 in sales worldwide last year, and in the first six months of this year experienced a 77% increase in sales over '06. At that rate it would quickly overtake Skol and current No. 3 Corona.

Even with no growth in the second half of this year, Snow still would sell 4 billion liters, compared with Skol's 3.6 billion liters in 2006.

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