Union Accuses Warsteiner Group of Breach of Trust as 220 Jobs Lost in Brewery Closures
05.07.2026 - 02:01:44 | boerse-global.de
The food and hospitality union NGG has branded the planned closure of a brewery in Herford and the sale of a site in Paderborn a "catastrophe day" for workers, accusing the Haus-Cramer Group of reneging on promises made just years ago. The group, part of the Warsteiner brewing family, confirmed it will shut the Herford brewery at the end of August 2026, eliminating roughly 100 jobs. In Paderborn, between 113 and 120 employees face an uncertain future as the site is put up for sale, also in 2026.
Union officials said the affected workers had made major concessions since 2021, waiving contractual pay increases, holiday pay and Christmas bonuses in a bid to keep both plants running. Those sacrifices were made, the NGG argues, in exchange for guarantees that operations would continue until at least the end of 2028. Now that the company is walking away early, the union calls it a serious breach of trust.
The Herford brewery, which began operations 148 years ago, has been part of the Warsteiner group since 2007. Its closure ends a tradition that spanned nearly a century and a half in the East Westphalia-Lippe region. The announcement has caused shock in Hiddenhausen and Herford, where the brewery has deep local roots.
In Paderborn, the group plans to sell the site later in 2026, citing a sharp decline in sales volumes. The company says the Paderborner brand will be preserved under new ownership, but no buyer has yet emerged. The Haus-Cramer Group itself did not comment on the union’s allegations, nor on the broader impact of its restructuring on the regional brewing landscape.
For the workforce, the dual blow means more than 200 people will lose or risk losing their jobs. The NGG has called for immediate talks with management, demanding a social plan and retraining options. "We gave up hard-won benefits to save these breweries," a union representative said. "To be repaid with closure is a betrayal no one here will forget."
