Eichbaum, one of Germany's oldest breweries, will cease operations after nearly three and a half centuries, ending a business that once exported to more than 60 countries. The closure puts roughly 240 jobs at risk at the Mannheim site.
The shutdown follows a failed rescue effort. The company filed for self-administered insolvency proceedings in late October 2025 and announced a continuation plan in March 2026, but the turnaround ultimately proved unviable. As part of the winding-down process, Eichbaum sold its Karamalz brand and associated production to rival brewer Veltins.
Founded in 1679, Eichbaum had grown from a regional operation into an international supplier before mounting financial pressures forced the insolvency filing. The closure marks the end of one of Germany's longest-running industrial enterprises.