Germany: Hasseröder and Diebels sold to CK Corporate Finance

AB Inbev has finally sold two of its remaining four breweries in Germany to financial investor CK Corporate Finance (CKCF) based in Kronberg close to Frankfurt/Germany. Hasseröder Brauerei and Brauerei Diebels, which produce together more than 2 million hl of beer, were up for sale since June 2017. (inside.beer, 21.6.2017) At the end of last week it became known that the breweries were sold to a financial investor but the buyer remained undisclosed. (inside.beer, 13.1.2018)

CK Corporate Finance is totally unknown to the beverage industry and was up to now more active in the area of consulting businesses, corporations, and financial investors in Germany on mergers, acquisitions, financing, real estate corporate finance, and capital market products.

The company’s managing partner Daniel Deistler (47), a passionate Polo player who also runs since 2015 together with his wife Stefanie a Polo school in Kronberg, owns 85% of the company with the rest staying with the family of the founder Carl Kliem. The new owner will present himself to the staff of Diebels in Issum on Wednesday and to the staff of Hasseröder in Wernigerode on Friday.

With the purchase Deistler has “fulfilled a heart's desire”. In a press release he was quoted as saying: "My passion for the brands Hasseröder and Diebels, the respect for the great tradition and the enthusiasm of the customers for the beers are a great foundation to promote the growth of these traditional brands and to make the public again aware of them."

The CKCF Group is planning a strategic realignment with long-term investments in the brands and brewery locations to generate sustainable growth and to secure and expand jobs. The new owners will be supported by former AB InBev executives. Adriano Leo and Jens Stachowiak, both account directors off-trade with AB InBev in Germany, who will become chairman of the board and managing director of sales and marketing. Eike Berthold, manager controlling with AB InBev in Bremen/Germany will act as the commercial manager.

The transaction will be completed latest by mid 2018. This will be “a beautiful day” says Deistler, alluding to a former slogan of Diebels.

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