The German craft beer platform Bierothek Group has entered preliminary insolvency proceedings following a decision by the Amtsgericht Bamberg. The ruling affects both Bierothek GmbH and Bierothek Marketplace GmbH, with Peter Roeger and Holger Christian Buehler, both restructuring experts from Pluta, appointed as provisional insolvency administrators. Their immediate task is to assess the financial situation and secure the companies’ assets while maintaining operations.
Despite the insolvency filing, business activities continue. Online orders and marketplace trading remain active, and the company’s four franchise retail locations are not part of the proceedings and remain open. According to Roeger, the goal is to stabilize operations and explore viable restructuring options in close coordination with management, customers, and suppliers. Employee salaries are secured for three months through insolvency benefits.
The insolvency follows a period of declining revenues and mounting liquidity challenges. Management cited falling sales and the need to adapt the business model as key reasons for the filing. Industry observers point to structural issues in specialized e-commerce platforms, including high logistics and marketing costs, limited scalability, and weakening demand for craft beer.
Founded by Christian Klemenz, Bierothek had pursued an expansion strategy involving internationalization, proprietary marketplace technology, and a franchise network. A key chapter in the company’s recent history involves Warsteiner Brauerei, which had previously taken a majority stake in Bierothek to strengthen its position in direct-to-consumer and digital sales channels. Through its investment vehicle H.C. New Ventures One, Warsteiner at one point controlled 55.78% of the group (inside.beer, 07.09.2023). However, after limited traction in the e-commerce segment, the brewery exited its investment itwo years later (inside.beer, 7.7.205). Following this withdrawal, Günter Wiskot, CEO of Black Forest Consulting, increased his shareholding and continued to develop the business together with founder Christian Klemenz. Following the partial divestment of its retail activities to Kalea, Bierothek increasingly repositioned itself as a logistics and fulfillment partner for breweries and platforms such as Untappd.
The case highlights broader challenges in the German beer market. According to Statistisches Bundesamt, beer consumption has recently reached historic lows (inside.beer, 2.2.2026), while costs for energy, raw materials, and logistics have increased significantly. Several breweries and beer-related businesses have faced financial distress or closures, reflecting ongoing pressure across the sector.
