Modelo Can’t Block Corona Seltzer Sales, 2nd Cir. Affirms (1)

The Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV unit that makes Corona beer lost its Second Circuit appeal of a lower court’s ruling that it can’t block its US distributor from selling hard seltzer under the brand’s name.

Constellation Brands Inc. established that whether or not the meaning of “beer” in its license from ABI’s Cerveceria Modelo de Mexico extended to hard cider was ambiguous and rightfully went to a jury, the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit said in a summary order issued Monday. The panel also failed to find error in jury instructions, rejecting Modelo’s argument that they should have ...