Prinz Luitpold relinquishes executive position at Kaltenberg Brewery

When he took over Kaltenberg castle and brewery in 1976, the brewery produced 15,000 hl beer annually. Not shying away from risk and challenges, Prince Luitpold expanded his business which now comprises four breweries in southern Germany and sells almost half a million hl of beer domestically.

In 2001 he took on a partner, the German Warsteiner Brewery, whose owner, Albert Cramer, has recently found himself more often on the gossip pages than in the serious business news section. Mr Cramer’s erratic behaviour, which gets him talked about in the industry, may have served as a warning to Prince Luitpold that relations between the two houses could hit a new low in the near future. So rather than being drawn deeper into the unravelling of Warsteiner Brewery, Prince Luitpold may have thought it best to retire to a non-executive position.

According to the Kaltenberg press release, Prince Luitpold is going to further develop his brand portfolio internationally. In many countries of northern and eastern Europe Kaltenberg beer is produced under license. It is his brand’s potential that Prince Luitpold now hopes to put to greater use. In Asia, in particular, he sees a bright future for his Kaltenberg brand.

Caption (below): In 2008 Kaltenberg Brewery won three gold medals at the World Beer Cup. Photo: Kaltenberg Brewery