Cologne's beer history turns: Mühlen Kölsch is taken over by Gaffel!

Cologne's beer history turns: Mühlen Kölsch is taken over by Gaffel!

The brewery to the Malzmühle in Cologne gives up the production of the "Mühlen Kölsch" after 167 years. Like Ruhr24 handed over, which will take over both production and sales in the future. The operational transition is planned for September 1, 2025.

This decision is not the result of bankruptcy, but a strategic realignment, with the aim of concentrating on your own gastronomies. According to Melanie Schwartz, the managing director of the brewery to Malzmühle, Gaffel is a strong partner with experience and reach. The Malzmühle currently operates several gastronomies in Cologne, including the brewery to Malzmühle and the Anno 1858.

handover and employment

In the course of the new strategy, around 20 out of 250 positions will be lost in the brewery to the malt mill. The employees were already informed on June 2, 2025 in a company meeting. Gaffel will also inform his employees about the changes. With this takeover, the malt mill will hand over the rights to the "Mühlen Kölsch" brand, which will continue to be available from Rewe and Edeka.

The recipe, the taste as well as the design and appearance of "Mühlen Kölsch" should be preserved. Thomas Deloy, head of marketing from Gaffel, has announced that further strategic details have not yet been published. This cooperation is part of a larger trend in the brewing industry that, such as KStA currently reported under the pressure falling and increasing costs suffer.

market situation of Kölsch

The sales proceeds in the German beer market show a noticeable decline. In the past year, Kölsche sales fell by 2.5 percent to around 1.42 million hectoliters. In 2019, this value was still 1.785 million hectoliters. In order to stabilize sales, the cooperation between the Gaffel and the Malzmühle is also an answer to the tightened market situation, which was additionally stressed by the Ukraine invasion, such as fuldaer newspaper

forecasts for beer sales in 2025 remain pessimistic and only one “super summer” could save the situation. The Radeberger Group had already closed its location in Cologne-Mülheim for several Kölsch brands in 2019, which continued to promote consolidation in the market.