Hofbrauhaus Wolters in Braunschweig files for insolvency

The historic Hofbrauhaus Wolters, founded in 1627 in Braunschweig, Germany, filed a petition for insolvency in self‑administration with the local court on 20‑21 June 2026. The brewery cites a persistent decline in beer sales – the German beer market fell about six percent in 2025 – combined with sharply higher production, energy and raw‑material costs.

The company assured that the business will continue operating, with wages and salaries of all employees secured. A court‑appointed provisional administrator, lawyer Torsten Gutmann, will oversee the procedure while the existing management remains in charge of the restructuring. The plan includes a stronger regional focus and an expansion of the non‑alcoholic beverage range. A spokesperson said the goal is “strategic sanierung under unrestricted continuation of the business operations.”

Wolters’ insolvency reflects broader pressures on Germany’s brewing sector, which has struggled since the pandemic with rising energy prices, supply‑chain disruptions and shifting consumer preferences toward low‑alcohol alternatives.