After months of speculation, the Gräfliche Hofbrauhaus Freising, considered the world’s oldest private brewery with roots dating back to 1160, has been sold. The new owner is an investor consortium led by the Swiss Argon Management AG, which acquired the brewery from Ignaz Graf zu Toerring-Jettenbach. The handover marks the beginning of a new chapter for the traditional Bavarian brewery.
The brewery is still widely known as the “Moy Brewery,” a name derived from the von Moy family, who acquired the business in 1891 when Ernst Graf von Moy married the daughter of Graf Arco. The family managed the brewery for more than a century before it was purchased by the Toerring-Jettenbach family on December 18, 1998, integrating it into the Gräfliche Brauerei zu Toerring-Jettenbach. This noble lineage has shaped its reputation as one of Bavaria’s most traditional and historically rich beer producers.
According to Inside Getränke and Merkur, the deal was finalized after prolonged negotiations. While official details on the purchase price were not disclosed, insiders reported that the 67,000 hl brewery (around 57,000 barrels) had been burdened with roughly EUR 4 million in bank liabilities and EUR 3 million in shareholder loans, and may have changed hands for a symbolic price of just EUR 1. Fredi Fischer, founding partner of Argon Management, stated that the goal is “to develop the Gräfliche Hofbrauhaus Freising into a modern brewery with a unique history,” while retaining its Slow-Brewing process and regional identity.
The new owners intend to invest in modernization, expand sales structures, and strengthen brand presence both in Germany and abroad. They emphasized continuity in production and commitment to maintaining the brewery’s Freising operations. “We want to make the beers of the Gräfliche Hofbrauhaus Freising more visible nationally and internationally — with the same care that has characterized this house for centuries,” Fischer said.
The previous owner, Ignaz Graf zu Toerring-Jettenbach, stated that the time was right for a transition: the brewery was on a stable footing, creating favorable conditions for a long-term investor. While the exact structure of the investor consortium remains undisclosed, Argon is expected to focus on repositioning the brewery through targeted investments in marketing and regional partnerships, preserving both its historic brand value and local roots.
