Anheuser-Busch accuses MillerCoors of stealing recipes

MILKWAUKEE, Wisconsin (AP) — Anheuser-Busch is suing MillerCoors over its confidential recipes for Bud Light and Michelob Ultra.

In a heavily redacted court filing Thursday, Anheuser-Busch claims MillerCoors illegally obtained the recipes through one of its employees, who used to work for Anheuser-Busch.

Anheuser-Busch says MillerCoors wanted the recipes because it was planning to retaliate for Anheuser-Bush's Super Bowl ads, which chided MillerCoors for brewing beer using corn syrup.

Anheuser-Busch seeks damages from MillerCoors.

The filing was the latest in a legal fight that began in March. MillerCoors sued Anheuser-Busch over the corn syrup ad campaign, which it says is false and misleading.

Last month, a federal judge in Milwaukee ruled in MillerCoors' favor and ordered Anheuser-Busch to stop using packaging that implies rival contain corn syrup. Anheuser-Busch is appealing that ruling.

"Anheuser Busch has lost three major federal rulings in this case and now they are simply trying to distract from the basic fact that they intentionally misled American consumers," MillerCoors spokesman Adam Collins said of Anheuser-Busch's claims.