Veltins Brewery

Veltins Brewery, formally known as Brauerei C & A Veltins, is a German brewing company based in Meschede-Grevenstein in North Rhine-Westphalia. The business traces its origins to 1824, when Franz Kramer opened a small guesthouse brewery with a simple wooden structure. The brewery later came under the control of Clemens Veltins in 1852, establishing the family connection reflected in the Veltins name. In 1893, twins Carl and Anton Veltins assumed control from their father, and the company adopted the name Brauerei C & A Veltins. The brewery is primarily associated with Veltins Pilsener, a pilsner-style beer that has become its best-known product and the central expression of the brand. Its identity is rooted in German brewing tradition, regional production, and the established pilsner category rather than in a broad portfolio of unrelated consumer products. The brand is generally positioned in the established, upper-mainstream segment of the German beer market, with recognition extending beyond its home region through national distribution and sports-related visibility. Veltins has also developed a prominent association with football through its naming-rights agreement for Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen, the home stadium of Bundesliga club FC Schalke 04. The venue is regarded as one of Europe’s modern stadiums and has hosted major international football events, including the 2004 UEFA Champions League Final, matches at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and matches during UEFA Euro 2024. This naming relationship gives the brewery substantial brand exposure in German and European football culture. The brewery’s name is also attached to the Kriesel curve at the Winterberg bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track, extending its sponsorship presence into winter sport. Susanne Veltins has directed the company since 1994. In 2015, Veltins was reported as Germany’s fourth-best-selling beer brand. The company remains an active German brewery, although publicly available reference material does not establish a separate listed parent, stock-market ticker, or detailed current ownership structure.

Veltins Brewery began in 1824 as a small guesthouse brewery established by Franz Kramer in the western German town of Grevenstein, now part of Meschede. The enterprise initially operated on a modest scale, reflecting the local character of many nineteenth-century German breweries. In 1852, Clemens Veltins took over the brewery, beginning the family association that would later define the company’s identity. The formal name Brauerei C & A Veltins emerged after Carl and Anton Veltins, twin sons of the family, assumed control from their father in 1893. Their names became part of the registered brewery identity and remain reflected in the company’s traditional designation. Over time, the brewery became known particularly for Veltins Pilsener, a pilsner-style beer that developed into its principal branded offering. The company’s later history has included continued family leadership and a focus on the German beer market. Susanne Veltins has directed the brewery since 1994. Public reference material identifies Veltins as an active brewery headquartered in Meschede-Grevenstein and places it among Germany’s leading beer brands by sales ranking, with a fourth-place position reported for 2015. Brand development has extended beyond brewing into sports and venue naming. Veltins holds the naming rights to Veltins-Arena, the stadium of FC Schalke 04 in Gelsenkirchen. The stadium has hosted significant international fixtures, including the 2004 UEFA Champions League Final, five matches in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and four matches at UEFA Euro 2024. The brewery’s name is also used for the Kriesel curve at the Winterberg track for bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton events. These associations have connected Veltins with German football and winter sports while reinforcing its visibility outside the immediate brewery region. Available reference material does not provide a complete account of production expansions, changes in ownership, export volumes, detailed product launches, or the company’s current financial performance. Those areas therefore remain unspecified rather than inferred.

1. 2015Veltins ranks among Germany’s best-selling beers

   Veltins was reported as Germany’s fourth-best-selling beer brand.

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2. 1994Susanne Veltins begins directing the company

   Susanne Veltins became the company’s director and has been identified as leading the brewery since that year.

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3. 1893The C & A Veltins name is adopted

   Twin brothers Carl and Anton Veltins took over from their father, and the brewery became known as Brauerei C & A Veltins.

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4. 1852Clemens Veltins takes over the brewery

   Clemens Veltins assumed control, establishing the family connection that later shaped the brewery’s name and identity.

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5. 1824Brewery founded

   Franz Kramer opened a small guesthouse brewery in Grevenstein, the origin of the business now known as Veltins Brewery.

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Established German pilsner brand with upper-mainstream positioning and strong regional heritage and sports sponsorship visibility.

• Veltins PilsenerPilsner beer

  Veltins Pilsener is the brewery’s signature and best-known beer. It represents the brand’s connection to the German pilsner tradition and serves as the primary product associated with Veltins in public reference material. The beer is central to the brewery’s identity and market recognition.

• Naming-rights partnership for Veltins-ArenaOther

  Veltins became the naming-rights sponsor of the football stadium used by FC Schalke 04 in Gelsenkirchen.

  What changed. The venue was named Veltins-Arena, linking the brewery brand to a major German football stadium and international sporting events.

  Aftermath. The stadium subsequently hosted the 2004 UEFA Champions League Final, five 2006 FIFA World Cup matches, and four UEFA Euro 2024 matches, giving the brand continuing sports visibility.

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1. Veltins Brewery