After years of legal disputes and speculation, Paulaner Brauerei Gruppe has secured the international rights to market its popular cola-mix drink under the name Paulaner Spezi. The Munich brewery, which has held a domestic license since 1974, reached an agreement with Augsburg-based Brauhaus Riegele, the original owner and inventor of the Spezibrand.
The deal marks the end of a long legal battle over trademark rights, which culminated three years ago when a court confirmed that Paulaner could continue using the name Spezi—but only within Germany. Now, following a “fair license agreement,” Riegele has permitted Paulaner to use the brand name abroad as well.
According to Paulaner CEO Jörg Biebernick, the company plans to build on the domestic success of its cola-orange mix, which currently dominates the German segment, and expand into key European markets. From 2026 onward, Paulaner Spezi will be rolled out in Switzerland, Spain, Italy, France, and Poland, with tailored distribution strategies for each market.
In the nearby Austrian market, the exclusive rights to the Spezi name remain with Almdudler, which will continue to sell its version independently. Meanwhile, Krombacher had previously acquired an international license (excluding Austria) for Krombacher Spezi, setting the stage for an upcoming rivalry. Industry observers expect Paulaner and Krombacher to compete head-to-head in the coming years for the most successful market penetration of their respective Spezi brands.
Riegele, which first registered the Spezi name in the 1950s, has long sold its own version internationally, particularly in Switzerland and Italy. However, the brewery’s size and limited distribution power have so far constrained the success of its international rollout. The Augsburg brewery’s managing director Sebastian Priller called the new agreement a “partnership that allows the cult brand to flourish internationally.”
The move follows Paulaner’s success with the brand in Germany, which led the brewery to purchase the Gotha Brewery from Oettinger three years ago (inside.beer, 17.10.2022) and to announce in August plans to double its capacity there to 3.5 million hectoliters in order to meet growing production needs (inside.beer, 22.8.2025). In January this year, it also became known that Paulaner had acquired the Hatz-Moninger brewing site in Karlsruhe to cover short-term production requirements for Spezi, whose annual sales at that time stood at 2.2 million hectoliters (inside.beer, 31.1.2025).
In spring 2025 Paulaner launched in the U.S. it’s cola-mix under the name Sunset Soda but with the same design as in Germany, which served as a test run for global markets. Analysts see the deal as a strategic step for Paulaner to strengthen its non-alcoholic portfolio and leverage the brand’s nostalgic appeal beyond Germany.
