Zillertal Bier, a family-owned brewery based in Zell am Ziller, has officially acquired the traditional Brauerei Starkenberg, located in Tarrenz, Tyrol. The transaction involves the complete takeover of the operating company, Brauerei Schloss Starkenberg Betriebs GmbH, which was previously overseen by majority owner Martin Steiner.
Despite the change in ownership, the Starkenberg brand and its dedicated production facility will remain fully operational. Martin Lechner, managing director of Zillertal Bier, confirmed that all 33 existing jobs at the Starkenberg site will be preserved. The acquiring company, which itself employs 85 people and has an estimated annual production of around 60,000 hl, views the acquisition as a strategic expansion into the western part of Tyrol, complementing its own established presence in the eastern valleys.
The sale follows a challenging economic period for Brauerei Starkenberg, which historically reported an annual output of approximately 40,000 hl. The brewery faced a balance sheet loss of around EUR 500,000 for the 2024/25 financial year. Rising raw material costs, intense competitive pressure in the retail sector, and the high capital requirements for necessary technical upgrades—such as a new bottling line—proved too burdensome for the independent brewery to finance on its own.
To further stabilize the business and improve market penetration, a strategic distribution cooperation has been formed with the regional beverage wholesaler Getränke Wille. This partnership aims to optimize the sales and logistics network, allowing the newly combined brewing group to focus on production while efficiently expanding its reach in both the gastronomy and retail sectors.
