Modelo Especial is owned by Constellation Brands (the United States, NYSE: STZ), which acquired the brand on 7 June 2013 from AB InBev and Grupo Modelo, as part of a $4.75 billion deal.[1][2] Before Constellation Brands, Modelo Especial was owned by Grupo Modelo from 1925 to 2013.[2]
Modelo Especial is a Mexican pilsner-style lager first brewed in 1925. Constellation Brands sells it in the United States under the same 2013 divestiture that gave it Corona, and it overtook Bud Light in 2023 to become the best-selling beer in the country by dollar sales.
What Constellation Brands's annual report says about Modelo Especial
Sentences about Modelo Especial from Constellation Brands's latest annual filing[1], copied word for word.
We are also the second-largest beer company and have the #1 beer brand, Modelo Especial, in dollar sales in the U.S. We continued to strengthen our leadership position in the U.S. beer market as the #1 dollar share gainer in the overall U.S. beer market, and the #2 dollar share gainer in the high-end.
Notable achievements in the U.S. include the following: (i) we had 6 of the top 15 share gaining brands across the total beer category, (ii) Modelo Especial was the best-selling beer overall, (iii) Corona Extra was the second largest imported beer and fifth best-selling beer overall, and (iv) Pacifico and Victoria were the top two fastest growing major imported beer brands.
How often Constellation Brands names Modelo Especial in its annual report
A plain count of the times the name appears in the text of each annual report, not counting the start of a sentence. A brand that an owner writes about more is usually one it treats as central.
Constellation Brands is a publicly listed company headquartered in Victor, New York, United States, founded in 1945. Brandtree records 9 brands under its control, and it is listed as NYSE: STZ.
Constellation Brands began as a New York wine producer in 1945 and is now built around the American rights to Mexican beer brands, which it obtained when regulators required AB InBev to divest them to clear its 2013 takeover of Grupo Modelo.
Brandtree records a controlling owner for 113 brands that began in Mexico.
28 of them (25%) are now controlled by a company headquartered in another country, Modelo Especial among them.
To settle the Department of Justice lawsuit blocking AB InBev's acquisition of Grupo Modelo, AB InBev sold Constellation Brands the perpetual rights to Corona, Modelo Especial and Pacífico in the United States, together with the Piedras Negras brewery. This is why Corona has a different owner in the United States than everywhere else.
The Department of Justice sued to block AB InBev's acquisition of the rest of Grupo Modelo, arguing it would raise beer prices in the United States. The parties settled with a proposed final judgment requiring AB InBev to sell Constellation Brands the perpetual United States rights to the Modelo brands and the Piedras Negras brewery, which is why Corona has a different owner in the United States.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the parent company of Modelo Especial?
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The parent company of Modelo Especial is Constellation Brands, a publicly listed company headquartered in the United States.
Is Modelo Especial Mexican or American?
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Modelo Especial originated in Mexico in 1925, but it is owned today by Constellation Brands, which is headquartered in the United States. So Modelo Especial is a Mexican-origin brand under American ownership.
When did Constellation Brands buy Modelo Especial?
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Constellation Brands completed its acquisition of Modelo Especial on 7 June 2013, after announcing the deal on 14 February 2013. The deal, which also included Corona (United States) and Pacífico, was valued at $4.75 billion (enterprise value).
Who owned Modelo Especial before Constellation Brands?
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Before Constellation Brands, Modelo Especial was owned by Grupo Modelo from 1925 until 2013.
Is Modelo Especial still owned by Constellation Brands?
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Yes. As of 11 October 2026, Modelo Especial is still owned by Constellation Brands. The ownership record was last checked against primary sources on that date.
Sources (2) & corrections
Last verified . Every ownership fact above is backed by one of these primary documents. Numbers in brackets in the text refer to this list.
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