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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14A

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

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Soliciting Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12

Adolph Coors Company

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Molson and Coors Announce Agreement to Increase Special
Dividend to Molson Shareholders;
Shareholder Meetings to be Delayed

Pentland agrees to waive participation in increased special dividend

        MONTREAL and GOLDEN, Colo., January 13, 2005—Molson Inc. (TSX: MOL.A) and Adolph Coors Company (NYSE: RKY) today announced that, in connection with the previously announced merger of the two companies, they have agreed to increase the special dividend to Molson shareholders as part of the transaction. Pentland Securities (1981) Inc., a company owned by Eric H. Molson and Stephen T. Molson and controlled by Eric H. Molson, has once again agreed to waive any participation in the special dividend.

        Molson Class A non-voting and Class B common shareholders, excluding Pentland, will receive C$5.44 per share, an increase of C$2.18 per share over the previously announced special dividend of C$3.26 per share, or a total of approximately C$640 million (US$532 million), payable as part of the plan of arrangement to Molson shareholders of record as of the last trading day immediately prior to the date of closing of the merger transaction. Had Pentland not agreed to waive participation in the special dividend, the special dividend would have been C$5.00 per share. This payment has been approved by both companies' Boards of Directors. The other terms of the proposed merger transaction will remain as previously announced.

        "Pentland remains totally committed to the merger and our decision to once again agree to waive participation in the special dividend is a testament of that. As shareholders with a controlling interest and a long-term view, we believe the merger with Coors provides the best business opportunity for Molson to be a proactive player in the global beer market," said Eric H. Molson, Chairman of the Board of Molson.

        Molson announced today that its special meeting of shareholders scheduled for January 19, 2005 will be adjourned, and reconvened on January 28, 2005 at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel, 900 René-Lévesque Boulevard West, Montréal, Québec, at 9:00 a.m., Eastern Time. The record date of November 22, 2004 to determine those Molson shareholders entitled to vote at the special meeting remains unchanged.

        Coors announced today that its special meeting of stockholders scheduled for January 19, 2005 will be convened as planned at 9:00 a.m., Mountain Time, and then immediately adjourned. The meeting is expected to be reconvened on February 1, 2005 at Coors Brewing Company in the Sixth Floor Auditorium in the Brewery Complex, 12th and Ford Streets, Golden, Colorado, at 9:00 a.m., Mountain Time. The record date of November 22, 2004 to determine those Coors stockholders entitled to vote at the special meeting remains unchanged.

        The Molson optionholders meeting will be held in Molson's offices in Montréal on January 27, 2005.

        Molson shareholders have until 5:00 p.m. (Montréal Time) on January 26, 2005 to vote. Shareholders who have already voted their shares and do not wish to change their vote do not need to take any action, and votes already cast and not changed or withdrawn will be cast at the special meetings. If a shareholder's shares are held by a broker, the shareholder must follow the directions received from the broker in order to change his or her vote.

        Any registered Coors stockholder wishing to change his or her vote on any of the proposals should, before the Coors special meeting, deliver a signed notice of revocation of proxy to the Secretary of Coors, or complete and submit a later-dated proxy card, or, in the alternative, attend the Coors special meeting and vote in person.



        Any registered Molson shareholder wishing to change his or her vote on any of the proposals should, before the Molson special meeting, execute a valid form of revocation of proxy and deliver it to the Secretary of Molson or the offices of CIBC Mellon Trust Company, or complete and submit a later-dated proxy form no later than 5:00 p.m. (Montréal Time) on the last business day before the Molson special meeting, or, in the alternative, attend the Molson special meeting and vote in person. Registered Molson shareholders may also revoke a proxy via the Internet website or the toll-free number indicated on their proxy forms.

        The Québec Superior Court has postponed the date for the hearing of Molson's application for the final order to February 2, 2005 at 9:30 a.m., Eastern Time, and has extended the period for filing appearances, written representations and written contestations to January 27, 2005.

About Molson Inc.

        Molson is Canada's largest brewer and one of the world's leading brewers of quality beer with operations in Canada, Brazil and the United States. A global brewer with CAN$3.5 billion in gross annual sales, Molson traces its roots back to 1786, making it North America's oldest beer company. Committed to brewing excellence, Molson produces an award-winning portfolio of beers including Molson Canadian, Molson Export, Molson Dry, Rickard's, A Marca Bavaria, Kaiser and Bavaria. For more information on Molson Inc., please visit the company's website at www.molson.com.

About Adolph Coors Company

        Founded in 1873, Adolph Coors Company is the world's eighth-largest brewer, with $5.4 billion in annual gross sales. Its principal subsidiary is Coors Brewing Company, the third-largest brewer in the U.S., with a beverage portfolio that includes Coors Light, Coors, Aspen Edge, Killian's, Zima XXX and the Keystone family of brands. The company's operating unit in the United Kingdom, Coors Brewers Limited, is the U.K.'s second-largest brewer, with brands that include Carling—the best-selling beer in the U.K.—Grolsch, Worthington's, Reef and the recently launched Coors Fine Light Beer. For more information on Adolph Coors Company, please visit the company's website at www.coors.com.

Contacts

For Molson Inc.:

  For Coors:

Investors   Investors
Danielle Dagenais   Dave Dunnewald
514-599-5392   303-279-6565

 

 

Kevin Caulfield
303-277-6894

Media
Sylvia Morin
514-590-6345

 

Media
Laura Sankey
303-277-5035

        This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the U.S. federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements are commonly identified by such terms and phrases as "would," "may," "will," "expects" or "expected to" and other terms with similar meaning indicating possible future events or actions or potential impact on the businesses or shareholders of Adolph Coors Company and Molson Inc. (together the "Companies"). There is no assurance the transaction contemplated in this release will be completed at all, or completed upon the same terms and conditions described. All forward-looking statements in this press release are expressly qualified by information contained in each company's filings with regulatory authorities. The Companies do not undertake to update forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

        Certain factors that could cause Coors' and Molson's results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the definitive proxy statement and the periodic reports filed by Coors with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available at the Securities and Exchange Commission's internet site (http://www.sec.gov). Neither Coors nor Molson undertakes, and each specifically disclaims, any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.



        Coors has filed a definitive joint proxy statement/management information circular regarding the proposed transaction with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Stockholders are urged to read the definitive joint proxy statement/management information circular, including any supplement thereto when it becomes available, because it will contain important information. Stockholders will be able to obtain a free copy of the definitive joint proxy statement/management information circular and any supplement thereto, as well as other filings containing information about Coors, without charge, at the Securities and Exchange Commission's internet site (http://www.sec.gov). Copies of the definitive joint proxy statement/management information circular and any supplement thereto and the filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission that will be incorporated by reference in the definitive joint proxy statement/management information circular can also be obtained, without charge, by directing a request to Adolph Coors Company, 311 10th Street, Golden, Colorado 80401, Attention: Investor Relations, (303) 279-6565. The respective directors and executive officers of Coors and Molson and other persons may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies in respect of the proposed merger. Information regarding Coors's and Molson's directors and executive officers, and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, is available in the definitive joint proxy statement/management information circular filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO COMBINATION AGREEMENT

        This AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO COMBINATION AGREEMENT (this "Amendment") is made and entered into as of January 13, 2005, between Adolph Coors Company, a Delaware corporation ("Coors"), Molson Coors Canada Inc., a Canadian corporation and an indirect Subsidiary of Coors formerly known as Coors Canada Inc. ("Exchangeco"), and Molson Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of Canada ("Molson"). All capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Combination Agreement (as defined below).


RECITALS:

        WHEREAS, the parties hereto are parties to a Combination Agreement, dated as of July 21, 2004, as amended by Amendment No. 1 thereto dated November 11, 2004 (the "Combination Agreement");

        WHEREAS, the parties hereto agree to increase to Cdn.$5.44 per share the amount of the Molson Dividend to be paid by Molson pursuant to the Arrangement, as modified by the parties hereto through the date hereof, to the holders of Molson Common Shares who are of record at the close of business on the last trading day immediately prior to the Effective Time;

        WHEREAS, Pentland and its Subsidiaries have agreed to waive any participation in the Molson Dividend;

        WHEREAS, the board of directors of Molson has determined that this Amendment is in the best interests of Molson;

        WHEREAS, the board of directors of Coors has determined that this Amendment is advisable to and in the best interests of each class of its stockholders;

        WHEREAS, the parties to the Coors Voting Agreement have concurrently herewith confirmed and agreed to the terms of this Amendment; and

        WHEREAS, the parties to the Molson Voting Agreement have concurrently herewith confirmed and agreed to the terms of this Amendment.

        NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the covenants, promises and representations set forth herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:

        Section 1.     Amendments to the Combination Agreement.    


        "(d) Subject to the terms of this Agreement, Molson and Coors shall each use their respective reasonable best efforts to cause the Coors Meeting and Molson Meeting (as each may be postponed or adjourned) to be held on the same date, or not more than two business days apart from each other, or on such other dates as are reasonably acceptable to each of Coors and Molson. Subject to the terms of this Agreement, Molson shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Molson Optionholders Meeting to be held on or before the date of the Molson Meeting. Each of Molson and Coors shall not adjourn, postpone or cancel (or propose for adjournment, postponement or cancellation) the Molson Meeting, the Molson Optionholders Meeting or the Coors Meeting, as applicable, without the other party's prior written consent, in each case, except as required (i) by applicable Laws or an Order of the Court, (ii) for quorum purposes, (iii) to enable Molson or Coors, as applicable, to comply with its obligations under Section 6.2(b)(iii), or (iv) in the case of an adjournment or postponement, in order to disseminate information with respect to Amendment No. 2 to this Agreement for an appropriate period prior to the Molson Meeting or the Coors Meeting, as reasonably determined by Molson and Coors."

        Section 2.    Certain Amendments to Exhibits to Combination Agreement and Transaction Documents.    To the extent necessary to reflect amendments to the Combination Agreement, conforming changes shall be made to the definitive or execution versions of documents the forms of which are attached as Exhibits to the Combination Agreement. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Section 2.2(a) of the Plan of Arrangement shall be amended to provide that the Molson Dividend will be in the amount of Cdn.$5.44 per share, and Section 2.2(a) of the Plan of Arrangement shall not otherwise be amended by this Amendment.

        Sesction 3.    Representations and Warranties of Coors.    Coors represents and warrants to Molson as of the date hereof as follows (provided that references in this Section 3 to documents are references to such documents as amended hereby):



        Section 4. Representation and Warranties of Molson. Molson represents and warrants to Coors as of the date hereof as follows (provided that references in this Section 4 to documents are references to such documents as amended hereby):


        Section 5. General Provisions

        EACH OF COORS AND MOLSON HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION OR COUNTERCLAIM (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AMENDMENT OR THE ACTIONS OF COORS OR MOLSON IN THE NEGOTIATION, ADMINISTRATION, PERFORMANCE AND ENFORCEMENT HEREOF.


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        IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Coors, Exchangeco and Molson have caused this Amendment to be signed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized all as of the date first written above.


 

 

ADOLPH COORS COMPANY

 

 

By:

/s/  
PETER H. COORS      
Name: Peter H. Coors
Title: Chairman

 

 

MOLSON COORS CANADA INC.

 

 

By:

/s/  
ROBERT REESE      
Name: Robert Reese
Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

 

MOLSON INC.

 

 

By:

/s/  
DANIEL J. O'NEILL      
Name: Daniel J. O'Neill
Title: President and Chief Executive Officer



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Molson and Coors Announce Agreement to Increase Special Dividend to Molson Shareholders; Shareholder Meetings to be Delayed Pentland agrees to waive participation in increased special dividend
AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO COMBINATION AGREEMENT
RECITALS