Oettinger, the Germany-based beer and soft-drinks maker, has acquired protein beer producer JoyBräu.
Founded in 2016 by Erik Dimter and Tristan Brümmer, the Hamburg-based start-up manufactures a non-alcoholic functional beer range.
Before being bought by Oettinger the company was shipping products internationally to China, Japan, South Korea and the Middle East. Numbers reported for 2022 note that JoyBräu has sold over six million cans.
JoyBräu holds two patents related to manufacturing and process technology used in the creation of its non-alcoholic functional beer products.
Stefan Blaschak, Oettinger CEO said: “On the one hand, we are continuing to run the JoyBräu protein beer brand. On the other hand, we take their spirit, their agility and their willingness to experiment to the next level: We integrate the patented process technology into Oe’s product pipeline.”
Oettinger has created an “innovation brand” line called Oe, which it is going to use to target the functional drink markets domestically and internationally. Its own-brand portfolio centres on the Original Oettinger brand under which it sells beer, soft drinks and beer mixes.
“Especially in the area of functional ingredients, we see the greatest potential even outside of Germany,” stated Blaschak. “Consumers in many countries are light years ahead of us when it comes to acceptance and willingness to buy food with additional benefits for their own well-being.”
In December, Oettinger indicated it had plans to “extensively ramp up” its business outside beer as part of a strategic realignment. The brewer is aiming for 40% of sales to be made away from beer by 2026, which is approximately double the current figure.
Oettinger is “transitioning from purely a beer brewer to a drinks manufacturer”, CEO Blaschak said in a company statement.
The strategic realignment came as the German beer market remains sluggish following the pandemic.
Blaschak – a former Coca-Cola executive and also previous chairman of German drinks company Berentzen Group – was appointed CEO last summer.
