Editor’s Note
This article details a strategic brand acquisition in Germany’s malt beverage sector, with Veltins taking control of the leading Karamalz brand. The move highlights the competitive dynamics in this niche market, underscored by rival Krombacher’s recent product launch.
The brewery C. & A. Veltins has taken over the rights to the Karamalz brand with immediate effect, which were previously held by the Eichbaum brewery. Veltins is convinced that it can generate “significant growth impulses” with the market leader in malt beverages. Competitor Krombacher launched the product Knabe Malz in cooperation with HandofBlood in 2024.
Veltins is integrating Karamalz, which is “one of the most well-known” non-alcoholic malt beverage brands in Germany, into its product portfolio, which is “clearly” focused on consumer market needs.
In the meantime, Veltins had already taken over national sales responsibility for the Karamalz brand within a cooperation with the Eichbaum brewery, but recently ended it.
Both sides agreed to keep silent about the purchase price.
Compared to the more regionally oriented Eichbaum brewery, Veltins is significantly larger and therefore equipped with more marketing power. It would therefore not be surprising if spending on Karamalz were to increase in the future under Veltins’ sole direction. The brand certainly has potential as the market leader. According to Veltins, the annual output is around 150,000 hectoliters – giving Karamalz a current market share of 25.5 percent. Vitamalz comes in at 24.8 percent (figures according to AC Nielsen 1-9/2025). According to Veltins, this results in “a very comfortable market situation for both brands, which is very unusual for a product segment.”
In response to MEEDIA’s inquiry about what could currently be said about upcoming Karamalz advertising and media planning, Veltins stated: “Planning for 2026 is only now being tackled, after the brand acquisition has been finalized.” Within the cooperation with Eichbaum, brand management and general responsibility for Karamalz lay with the brand owner. Primarily, below-the-line measures were taken in trade. Campaigns were run this year in the areas of B-to-B communication and social media. Veltins marketing will take over the strategic and communicative leadership of the new brand. The responsible persons are Marketing Managing Director Fabian Veltins and Marketing Director Stefan Wiesmann.
Initially launched as “Henninger Karamell-Kraftbier,” the non-alcoholic product was first distributed by the Henninger brewery in 1955. Three years later, the initial name was shortened and registered as Karamalz, becoming today’s brand name. In the 1990s, the Karamalz brand initially belonged to the März Group via the Henninger brewery and then, after being taken over by Actris AG, became the property of the Mannheim-based Eichbaum brewery.
In addition to its namesake main brand, Veltins, based in Meschede, Sauerland, also distributes beers under brands such as Grevensteiner and Pülleken. For advertising, the company brought Grabarz XCT on board this year.
The history is not quite as traditional for Krombacher’s Knabe Malz. The product was launched in 2024 and resulted from a cooperation with the agency Instinct3 and its co-founder Maximilian Knabe (alias influencer HandofBlood).