The future of Chopfab Brewery in Winterthur has shifted from outright closure fears to a confirmed downsizing, as Brauerei Locher continues to restructure its multi-site brewing network. While the Winterthur site will remain operational, its role is being fundamentally reduced, with logistics, core production and bottling increasingly concentrated in Appenzell, the home of Brauerei Locher.
Uncertainty intensified in mid-October after reports suggested a possible shutdown of the Winterthur facility (inside.beer, 15.10.2025). Although these rumours were not confirmed, Karl Locher, owner of Brauerei Locher, acknowledged at the time that significant changes were imminent, including the relocation of Chopfab Boxer’s logistics to Appenzell and a strategic reassessment of all sites.
Detailed plans disclosed later made clear that Winterthur would lose around half of its production area and six of 26 full-time positions. From spring 2026, Chopfab’s core brands will be brewed and bottled in Appenzell, while the Winterthur site will focus on niche, craft and seasonal beers, contract production of non-alcoholic beverages, and services such as installation and maintenance of draft systems. Several large fermentation and storage tanks are being removed, most of them destined for other Locher-controlled breweries.
In contrast, the Boxer site in Yverdon-les-Bains is being expanded. According to foodaktuell.ch, Bière du Boxer, the largest brewery in Romandy, has begun construction work to add new tanks and filtration equipment, citing strong nationwide growth of the Boxer brand. The investment is described as “high” and forms part of Locher’s broader infrastructure push. Notably, some of the tanks being installed in Yverdon originate from the downsized Chopfab operation in Winterthur, underlining the internal reallocation of assets within the group.
The divergent paths of Winterthur and Yverdon reflect Locher’s strategy following its rescue of Chopfab Boxer in 2024 (inside.beer, 15.03.2023). While maintaining a presence in Winterthur for innovation and niche products, the group is concentrating volume, logistics and growth investments at fewer, more efficient sites. With Locher’s market share now estimated at around 16–17 percent, the restructuring highlights both the pressure of declining beer consumption in Switzerland and the group’s ambition to strengthen its national footprint despite a contracting market.
