Adolph Coors Company and Molson Inc. announced a definitive agreement to combine in a merger of equals that will create a new company with the operating scale and balance sheet strength to take a leading role in the consolidating global brewing industry.

With combined beer sales of 60 million hectoliters (51 million U.S. barrels), Molson Coors Brewing Company will be the world's fifth-largest brewing company by volume, with pro-forma combined net sales of $6.0 billion, EBITDA of $1.0 billion and free cash flow of $707 million for the 12-month period ended March 31, 2004. In addition, the combination is expected to generate approximately $175 million in annualized synergies by 2007, with half of these benefits achieved within 18 months following completion of the merger. The transaction is expected to be earnings accretive to the shareholders of both companies within the first full year of combined operations.

The transaction brings together Coors, founded in 1873, and the third-largest brewer in the U.S. with an 11% market share, and the second-largest brewer in the U.K. with a market share of 21%, with Molson, North America's oldest beer company, founded in 1786 and Canada's leading brewer with a 43% market share, and the third-largest brewer in Brazil, where it has an 11% market share.

"This transaction allows us to create a stronger company in a consolidating global industry while preserving Molson's rich heritage as North America's oldest beer company and Canada's leading brewer," said Eric H. Molson, chairman of Molson. "We are extremely pleased to be combining with Coors, one of the world's most respected brewers, in such a strategically compelling merger. We look forward to working together to realize the full potential of the new company."

Peter H. Coors, chairman of Coors, said, "I am very proud to see the company started by my great-grandfather more than 130 years ago combine with a company of Molson's caliber and heritage. This historic transaction combines 350 years of brewing excellence and will create a dynamic and competitive organization able to deliver long-term value to shareholders while continuing to be an important contributor to the communities in which we operate."

The combined company will have a well-established beverage portfolio that includes Coors Light, (the #7 beer brand worldwide), Molson Canadian (the #1 brand in Canada) and Carling (the #1 brand in the U.K.). In addition, Coors Original, Keystone, Aspen Edge, Zima XXX, Worthington's, Molson Ultra, Export, Molson Dry, Rickard's and Kaiser will be important brands in the portfolio. Additionally, the companies have, in various geographies, distribution and/or licensing agreements with other leading international brewers, including Heineken, Grupo Modelo, Grolsch, FEMSA, Foster's and SABMiller.

MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE AND BOARD COMPOSITION
Molson Coors Brewing Company will draw on a group of leaders from both companies. Eric H. Molson will serve as chairman of the board of the combined company. W. Leo Kiely III, currently chief executive officer of Coors, will be chief executive officer. Daniel J. O'Neill, currently chief executive officer of Molson, will be vice chairman, synergies and integration. Timothy V. Wolf, currently chief financial officer of Coors, will serve as chief financial officer of the combined company.

Leo Kiely, chief executive officer of Coors, stated, "Together, Molson and Coors will become the world's fifth-largest brewer, with the market and financial strength necessary to drive organic growth and compete more effectively in today's increasingly challenging global market. With EBITDA of $1.0 billion before synergies, Molson Coors Brewing Company will have the financial flexibility to increase investment behind key brands while delivering value to shareholders. We also expect the geographic footprint of the combined company will facilitate increased operational and financial efficiency."

Molson Coors Brewing Company will have a 15-member board of directors, most of whom will be drawn from the existing boards of both companies. It will be composed of five members nominated by Molson family board members, five members nominated by Coors family board members and three directors elected by the company's non-voting shareholders. Leo Kiely and Daniel J. O'Neill will also be directors. Nine members of the company's board of directors will be independent of management and the controlling shareholders.

The company will have executive headquarters in Denver, Colo., and Montreal, Quebec. The company's operations in Canada will be managed from Toronto, Ontario; operations in the U.S. from Golden, Colo.; operations in the U.K. from Burton-on-Trent, England; and operations in Brazil from Sao Paulo, Brazil.

SYNERGIES AND COST SAVINGS
The companies intend to establish an Office of Synergies and Integration to facilitate the development and implementation of plans to achieve the expected benefits of the transaction. The office will be responsible for the realization of cost savings and other synergies, including the alignment of related capital expenditures, by applying best practices and global benchmarking. The office will be chaired by Daniel J. O'Neill and will also include Eric Molson and Leo Kiely.

"In my new role, my responsibility will be to deliver the identified synergies, unlock additional opportunities and lead the teams that have the most past experience in making this happen. The merger represents a transaction that will be difficult to match given the large value of synergies and the ability to reinvest additional synergies above the $175 million to drive top-line sales growth," said Daniel J. O'Neill, president and chief executive officer of Molson Inc. "In addition, a merger with Coors allows our Canadian unit to secure the rights to sell and distribute the Coors Light brand, which might not be the case in an alternative transaction."

The combined company expects to achieve annualized synergies of approximately $175 million by 2007. The principal sources of these synergies include the optimization of brewery networks, increased procurement efficiencies, streamlined organizational design, consolidated administrative functions and greater tax efficiencies. The companies expect to identify additional synergy opportunities between now and closing. These synergies are in addition to cost saving initiatives already underway at both companies.

SUMMARY OF THE TRANSACTION
The transaction will be structured pursuant to a plan of arrangement under which each share of Molson held by a Canadian resident will be exchanged, at the election of the holder, for exchangeable shares in a Canadian subsidiary of Molson Coors and/or shares of Molson Coors. Molson shares held by nonresidents of Canada will be exchanged for Molson Coors stock. The transaction is structured to be tax deferred to all U.S. holders of Coors, tax deferred to Canadian resident Molson shareholders who properly elect to receive exchangeable shares, and taxable to U.S. holders of Molson shares and those Canadian resident Molson shareholders who choose to convert to Molson Coors stock.

Under the proposed plan of arrangement, each Molson Class B voting share will convert into shares having the right to exchange for 0.126 voting share and 0.234 non-voting share of Molson Coors and each Molson Class A non-voting share will convert into shares that have the right to exchange for 0.360 non-voting share of Molson Coors.

Both boards of directors have received fairness opinions from their financial advisors. The proposed merger, which is subject to approvals by the shareholders of both companies, the Superior Court of Quebec, appropriate regulatory and other authorities, as well as customary closing conditions, is expected to close following shareholders' meetings and votes in the fall of 2004.

Application will be made to list the shares of Molson Coors Brewing Company on the New York Stock Exchange and the exchangeable shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange. The company intends to maintain Molson's quarterly dividend amount per share as adjusted for currency exchange and the share exchange ratio detailed above.

The existing principal shareholders of Molson (Pentland Securities Inc.) and Coors (the Adolph Coors, Jr., Trust) have agreed to vote their shares in favor of the merger and have entered into voting agreements under which they have agreed they will not solicit any offer seeking the purchase of their shares or their approval of a sale of the company each controls and will vote against an alternative proposition. vThe companies have also agreed not to solicit other offers. The merger agreement provides for the payment of a $75 million break-up fee to either party in the event the transaction is not completed under certain circumstances.

Molson and Coors have been advised by Pentland, the company through which Eric Molson holds his voting interest in Molson, that Pentland has taken steps to terminate an agreement between Pentland and the Swiftsure Trust which restricts the transfer of Molson shares held by the parties to that agreement.

The boards of directors of the two companies have unanimously recommended the approval of the transaction to their shareholders. In addition, a special committee of Molson's independent directors formed to consider the transaction approved the proposed merger.

Deutsche Bank acted as financial advisor to Coors. Citigroup and BMO Nesbitt Burns acted as financial advisors to Molson, and Merrill Lynch acted as financial advisor to the special committee of Molson's independent directors.