Oettinger, one of the leading brewing groups in Germany, has confirmed that Stefan Blaschak will step down as CEO in mid-2026, ending the three-year term agreed at his appointment in 2023. The departure had been planned from the outset, although industry insiders say that the search for a successor had reportedly been underway for some time.
Seemingly, it is also unrelated to the protests in August, when employees had marched through Oettingen with “Blaschak raus!” (“Blaschak out!”) chants demanding higher wages and new leadership. The company said that an information leak within headhunting circles led to the news becoming public earlier than intended.
As stated by company spokesperson Natalie Bajon, Blaschak will leave the operational business but remain strategically involved. He stays chairman of Swiss-based Oe International AG, a distribution partner of the brewery, focusing on international expansion and long-term strategy. Oettinger, which produces around 6.6m hl annually, ranks among Germany’s largest beverage manufacturers and says it remains within the 30 largest breweries worldwide.
Blaschak’s tenure has been marked by declining beer consumption and what he repeatedly described as a “devastating sales situation” for the German beer market. In July, the brewer announced plans to end brewing operations at its Braunschweig facility, affecting approximately 150 manufacturing and bottling employees, after sales fell back to levels last seen more than two decades ago. The company argued that reducing overcapacity across its three sites had become unavoidable (inside.beer, 23.7.2025). Three years earlier, Oettinger had also planned to close its 2-million-hectolitre brewery in Gotha, but the site was sold at the last minute to the Paulaner Group, which had been seeking additional capacity for its rapidly growing soft-drink brand Spezi (inside.beer, 17.10.2022).
In response to market pressure, Oettinger expanded its portfolio with the purchase of protein beer manufacturer JoyBräu (inside.beer, 25.1.2024) and also beyond beer, introducing innovations such as protein-enriched water and fibre-enhanced soft drinks aimed at younger, health-focused consumers. While these shifts were welcomed by management, the works council—led by Oliver Bosch—criticised the strategic direction, saying a new approach was needed. According to about-drinks, the restructuring nevertheless helped return the company to stable profitability over the last two years, with new foundations laid for international growth.
Oettinger confirmed that the management structure will be expanded, with additional leaders sought for marketing, sales and logistics to ensure continuity after Blaschak’s exit. Meanwhile, the long-running labour dispute with the NGG union appears close to resolution. A draft arbitration agreement is prepared, and the union has already indicated readiness for a compromise, including abandoning extended weekly working hours in exchange for more moderate wage increases.
