Refresco, one of Europe's leading independent beverage bottlers, is acquiring the business operations of the financially troubled Rhenser Mineralbrunnen. The transaction includes key assets such as brand rights, real estate, production facilities, and existing inventories at the company's site in Rhens. Subject to customary closing conditions, the acquisition is expected to be completed on August 1, 2026.
As part of the transfer of operations, the vast majority of Rhenser's employees will join Refresco, although not every position can be retained. The creditors' committee has already approved the purchase agreement negotiated by the preliminary insolvency administrator Dr. Alexander Jüchser and managing director Holger Sieck. Both parties agreed not to disclose the purchase price or further contractual details.
The acquisition marks the end of another turbulent chapter for the 164-year-old mineral water producer. The company had already been rescued from insolvency in 2017 by brothers Friedrich Berentzen and Christian Berentzen, sons of the well-known spirits entrepreneur Friedrich Berentzen. Following the deaths of both brothers in 2023 and early 2026, the business once again came under severe financial pressure.
Following the death of managing director Christian Berentzen in February 2026, the company filed for preliminary insolvency on March 4. According to company representatives, the insolvency resulted from intense competitive pressure in the beverage market, rising transport costs, persistently low profit margins, and continued consumer restraint. The regular insolvency proceedings, originally scheduled to begin on June 4, were postponed by one month to allow the ongoing negotiations with Refresco to be completed.
According to Guido Kühne, managing director of Refresco Germany, the acquisition will strengthen both the company's branded mineral water portfolio and its production capacity for glass-bottled mineral water. He highlighted the Rhens site's long tradition, high-quality mineral water resources, and experienced workforce as important strategic advantages for the company's future development.
Refresco Germany operates ten production facilities and two administrative locations nationwide, employing around 1,650 people. The company is part of the Rotterdam-based Refresco Group, which employs more than 14,000 people worldwide and is one of the leading independent beverage solution providers across Europe, North America, and Australia.
