The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has released a Statement of Issues outlining its preliminary competition concerns regarding MicroStar's proposed acquisition of Konvoy's assets, which are currently in administration and receivership.

Both MicroStar and Konvoy provide keg pooling services to brewers across Australia, allowing them to rent kegs from a shared pool for short-term use. MicroStar operates in Australia under the name Kegstar. The ACCC has highlighted that this acquisition would merge the only two providers of keg pooling services in the country.

According to ACCC Commissioner Dr. Philip Williams, many craft breweries depend on keg pooling services to distribute their products beyond local areas. These breweries are unlikely to invest in self-supplying or managing their own keg fleets, making them reliant on the existing providers.

Feedback from the market suggests that alternatives to keg pooling, such as keg leasing or ownership, do not serve as close substitutes. The ACCC believes that it is improbable for new competitors to emerge in the keg pooling market, which raises concerns about the potential for reduced competition.

The ACCC's preliminary assessment indicates that the acquisition could substantially lessen competition in the keg pooling services market in Australia. The commission is inviting submissions from interested parties regarding the Statement of Issues until 28 August 2025.

Keg pooling allows brewers to rent kegs from a shared pool, simplifying logistics as kegs can be returned to the service rather than needing to be collected by the customer. The ACCC applies the legal test outlined in section 50 of the Competition and Consumer Act, which prohibits acquisitions that may substantially lessen competition.

MicroStar, a keg services company based in the United States, has been operating in Australia since 2021 after acquiring Kegstar. Konvoy, founded by a former Kegstar executive, entered the market in 2019 but is now in voluntary administration.