Radeberger Group, market leader in the German beer market, says goodbye to the independent sales organization of its craft beer subsidiary Braufactum. From next year on the Radeberger organization will take over the distribution of the specialty range of beers which reached at its top about 15,000 hectoliters.
In 2010, Radeberger launched Braufactum, a project which was fostered by the then head of sales Thomas Freese. As a pioneer, the group carried the American craft beer wave to Germany. Competitors only frowned at the new idea. Later, however, many German brewers initiated similar projects.
However, like the entire craft beer movement in Germany, Braufactum never took off and stayed a small niche business. Apparently the top management at Radeberger decided now, that the experiment has failed.
Braufactum Managing Director Dr Marc Rauschmann and his sales manager Jochen Rosinus, who both worked flat out from the beginning 10 years ago to make craft beer popular in Germany will remain within the Radeberger organizationworking for Braufactum. Rauschmann as the "face" of the brand and Rosinus as the key account manager. Freese, now export manager of the group, wants to accommodate most of the Braufactum employees in his international department.
“Some craft beer brewers want to re-educate consumers by force. However, it doesn't work that way. Here in Germany with our many great beers, we don't need a craft beer revolution as in the USA,” says Rauschmann. “We have completely different conditions. We have to meet consumers where they are and walk the whole path with them step by step.”
