Rugenbräu
Rugenbräu AG is a 160-year-old Swiss brewery and distillery in Matten bei Interlaken producing craft beers, spirits, and wines for B2B catering customers across Switzerland and Liechtenstein, with a parallel direct-to-consumer channel via e-commerce, dealer network, and an on-site showroom.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1866
- HeadquartersInterlaken, Switzerland
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Rugenbräu does
Rugenbräu AG is a traditional Swiss brewery and distillery headquartered in Matten bei Interlaken in the Bernese Oberland, operating continuously since 1866 under the tagline "Wo Charakter gebraut wird." The company produces a diversified beverage portfolio built on two pillars: a multi-variant beer range under the Rugenbräu, Oberland Bier, Mountain Twister, and Brauer Edition lines, and a spirits portfolio from the on-site Rugen Distillery including Swiss Mountain Single Malt Whisky, The Wall Gin, Swiss Crystal Gin (finished over mountain crystal), Master Distiller Stockhorn, Two Lakes, and Fleur de Biere, complemented by a wine assortment through the Wy-Chäller sub-brand. Production is FSSC 22000 certified since 2015 and the company has participated in the Energy Agency for Industry (EnAW) since 2014.
The business operates a dual B2B/B2C go-to-market. B2B is driven by a regional field sales force with dedicated reps covering the Bernese Oberland, Bern city, Emmental, and Upper Valais, delivering daily Monday-Friday from Interlaken and Zollikofen depots to hotels, restaurants, cafés, and event organizers, with weekend on-call service, beverage equipment rental (refrigerated trucks, installations, tents), and the Orderlion B2B ordering platform (since August 2022). B2C runs through the rugenbraeu.ch e-commerce shop (shipping via Planzer to Switzerland and Liechtenstein, free above CHF 80), a dealer network across Switzerland, and the on-site Rugen Gnuss-Wält retail showroom and tasting bar at headquarters, which also serves as the starting point for brewery and distillery tours. The company markets through a multilingual (DE/EN/FR) website, email newsletter, Facebook, and Instagram, and participates in events such as the Whisky & Grappa Night.
Rugenbräu firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Rugenbräu
- Legal name
- Rugenbräu AG
- Website
- https://rugenbraeu.ch
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1866
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Rugenbräu AG is a 160-year-old Swiss brewery and distillery in Matten bei Interlaken producing craft beers, spirits, and wines for B2B catering customers across Switzerland and Liechtenstein, with a parallel direct-to-consumer channel via e-commerce, dealer network, and an on-site showroom.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Rugenbräu industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Craft Brewing & Distillery
- NAICS
- Breweries (31212), Beverage Manufacturing (3121), Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (4248), Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers (424810)
- SIC
- Malt Beverages (2082), Beverages (2080), Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Packaging & Production Breweries (Limited/No On-site Service) (THAFALAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Fine Wine & Luxury Spirits Retail (CRANABAE), Beer, Wine & Spirits Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAIAA)
Keywords
Where Rugenbräu is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Interlaken
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Rugenbräu business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Beer Sales: Sale of traditional quality beers including Rugenbräu flagship brand, Oberland beer, seasonal festival beers, and brewer editions. Products available in various formats: bottles (33cl, 50cl), cans, and kegs (20L).
- Spirits Sales: Production and sale of Swiss spirits including Swiss Crystal Gin (with mountain crystal finishing), Swiss Mountain Single Malt Whisky, The Wall Gin, Master Distiller Stockhorn, Two Lakes, Fleur de Biere, and liqueurs.
- Wine Sales (Wy-Chäller): Sale of select wines through the Wy-Chäller wine assortment.
- B2B Sales to Catering: B2B sales and delivery of beverages and festival equipment (refrigerated trucks, beverage installations, tents) to catering establishments including hotels, restaurants, and event organizers. Includes consignment arrangements and equipment rental.
- Brewery Tours and Tastings: The Gnuss-Wält serves as the starting and end point of popular brewery tours, featuring a tasting bar for beer, spirits, and wine tastings.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Standard shipping within Switzerland and Liechtenstein |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Rugenbräu product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Rugenbräu AG operates a traditional Swiss brewery and distillery in Matten bei Interlaken (Bernese Oberland), producing a portfolio of craft beers (Rugenbräu, Oberland Bier, Mountain Twister, Brauer Edition), Swiss spirits (Swiss Mountain Single Malt Whisky, Swiss Crystal Gin, The Wall Gin, Master Distiller Stockhorn, Two Lakes, liqueurs, Fleur de Biere), and select wines via the Wy-Chäller. The company sells directly to catering establishments (B2B) with daily delivery, equipment rental, and a weekend on-call service, and directly to private consumers (B2C) through its on-site Gnuss-Wält showroom and online shop.
Product overview
Rugenbräu AG is a traditional Swiss brewery and distillery based in Matten bei Interlaken (Berner Oberland) with a heritage dating back to 1866. The product portfolio consists of two main categories: (1) Beer products under the Rugenbräu brand (featuring classic quality beers like Lager Hell, Spezial, Weizen, and specialty lines including Alkoholfrei and seasonal Brauer Editions), the Oberland regional line, and the fruit-flavored Mountain Twister line; and (2) Spirits including Swiss Mountain Single Malt Whisky, The Wall Gin, Swiss Crystal Gin (finished over mountain crystal), and liqueurs from the on-site Rugen Distillery. The company also operates the Gnuss-Wält (a retail/tasting bar) and offers brewery/distillery tours. B2B services include catering deliveries via the Orderlion ordering system.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Rugenbräu: Main beer brand featuring classic quality beers including Lager Hell, Spezial hell/dunkel, Weizen, Zwickel, Alkoholfrei variants.
- Oberland Bier
- Mountain Twister
- Rugenbräu Distillery
- Rugen Gnuss-Wält
- Wy-Chäller
Products and services
- Rugenbräu Beer Portfolio The flagship Rugenbräu beer brand with multiple variants including Alkoholfrei, Alpenperle, Harder, Lager Hell, Panaché, Spezial dunkel/hell, Weizen, Weizen Alkoholfrei, and Zwickel, sold in bottles (33cl, 50cl), cans, and kegs (20L) to both catering customers and private consumers.
- Oberland Bier A regional premium beer line from the Bernese Oberland, including the Amber Oberland variant (5.2% ABV, 28 IBU), positioned as a full-bodied regional craft beer.
- Mountain Twister Fruit-flavored beer beverage combining non-alcoholic beer with fruit flavors; available in APPLE (0.2-0.3% ABV) and APRICOT (0.2-0.3% ABV, 70% apricot lemonade + 30% non-alcoholic beer) variants, marketed as a refreshing alcohol-light alternative.
- Brauer Edition Special brewer's edition line featuring seasonal and trend-focused beer creations brewed in limited releases by the Rugenbräu brewing team.
- Swiss Mountain Single Malt Whisky Single malt whisky produced in the Swiss mountains, including a limited 160th Anniversary edition (Jubiläums Whisky – 160 Jahre) celebrating the company's 160-year heritage.
- Swiss Crystal Gin Swiss premium gin whose distillate is finished over a mountain crystal (Bergkristall) for a unique character; sold in a Classic variant through retail and B2B channels.
- The Wall Gin A premium gin from the Rugenbräu Distillery, part of the company's craft spirits range.
- Master Distiller Stockhorn A premium spirit under the Master Distiller line named after the Stockhorn mountain, produced by Rugenbräu's Master Distiller.
- Two Lakes A spirit product from the Rugenbräu Distillery named after the Two Lakes (Brienz and Thun) of the Bernese Oberland region.
- Rugenbräu Liqueur A liqueur offering from the Rugenbräu Distillery, sold as part of the spirits range.
- Fleur de Biere A beer-based spirit product from the Rugenbräu Distillery, bridging the brewery and distillery product lines.
- Wy-Chäller Wine Assortment A select assortment of wines curated under the Wy-Chäller sub-brand, sold to private consumers through the shop and on-site at the Gnuss-Wält.
- Gnuss-Wält (On-site Showroom & Tasting Bar) A retail store and tasting bar located at Rugenbräu headquarters in Matten bei Interlaken offering the full Rugenbräu beer range, international beers, Rugen Distillery spirits, and Wy-Chäller wines, also serving as the start/end point of brewery tours.
- Brewery & Distillery Tours Guided tours of the brewery and distillery facilities, with tastings of beers, spirits, and wines at the Gnuss-Wält, offered to visitors and consumer groups.
- B2B Catering Supply & Event Equipment Rental Delivery of beverages and rental of festival/event equipment (refrigerated trucks, beverage installations, tents) to hotels, restaurants, and event organizers in the Bernese Oberland and broader Switzerland, including consignment arrangements and a weekend on-call service.
Companies that use Rugenbräu
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Rugenbräu technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Rugenbräu partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Rugenbräu competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Brauerei Schützengarten AG: Privately held St. Gallen regional brewery with long heritage, multi-channel B2B distribution, and on-site gastronomy. Closely comparable Swiss regional brewer with similar B2B/B2C mix and independent ownership profile.
- Doppelleu Boxer Brauerei: Swiss craft brewery focused on premium and special beers distributed to restaurants, retailers, and consumers. Direct competitor for premium draught and craft bottle/can share in the Swiss on-trade.
- Brauerei Fischerstube Bern: Bern-based brewery combining production with its own restaurant and on-site tasting experience. Relevant peer given shared Bern region and the integrated brewery/restaurant/retail model.
- Brauerei Locher AG (Appenzeller Bier): Swiss regional brewery and distillery with a comparable 130+ year heritage, multi-channel B2B and DTC distribution, own on-site restaurant/tasting venue, and a spirits portfolio. Closest like-for-like comp in scale, model, and product breadth within the Swiss regional brewer-distiller space.
Emerging players
- Erzbierschof Brauerei Spezialitäten AG: Small Swiss specialty/craft brewery emphasizing traditional recipes and barrel-aged beers. Comparable in scale and craft positioning, competing for the same premium on-trade and craft consumer in Switzerland.
Broad incumbents
- Bavaria Brau AG: Large European brewery group active in adjacent European markets. Comparable in that it operates as an independent brewer-distributor competing for shelf and on-trade space against global incumbents.
- Heineken Switzerland AG: Swiss arm of Heineken N.V., one of the dominant brewers in the Swiss market. Broad incumbent whose national scale and marketing budgets shape the competitive context Rugenbräu operates in.
- Feldschlösschen Getränke AG: Largest Swiss brewer (part of Carlsberg Group) producing beer and soft drinks with nationwide distribution. Represents the broad incumbent that dominates the on-trade and off-trade channels Rugenbräu competes for in Switzerland.
Others
- Diageo Switzerland / Swiss whisky peers (e.g., Säntis Malt): Large multinational spirits company with Swiss distribution plus niche Swiss single malt whisky producers (e.g., Säntis Malt by Brauerei Locher). Relevant for benchmarking the spirits/distillery side of Rugenbräu's portfolio rather than the beer side.
Regional players
- Schlossbrauerei Schwarzbach (Ayinger): Independent German family-owned regional brewery with brewery-restaurant, tours, and on-site retail. Comparable model (heritage brewery + gastronomy + retail) but operating primarily in Bavaria rather than Switzerland.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Rugenbräu social profiles
Digital presenceRugenbräu financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Rugenbräu leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Rugenbräu funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Rugenbräu M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Rugenbräu
What does Rugenbräu do?
Rugenbräu AG operates a traditional Swiss brewery and distillery in Matten bei Interlaken (Bernese Oberland), producing a portfolio of craft beers (Rugenbräu, Oberland Bier, Mountain Twister, Brauer Edition), Swiss spirits (Swiss Mountain Single Malt Whisky, Swiss Crystal Gin, The Wall Gin, Master Distiller Stockhorn, Two Lakes, liqueurs, Fleur de Biere), and select wines via the Wy-Chäller. The company sells directly to catering establishments (B2B) with daily delivery, equipment rental, and a weekend on-call service, and directly to private consumers (B2C) through its on-site Gnuss-Wält showroom and online shop.
Is Rugenbräu a public or private company?
Rugenbräu is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Rugenbräu founded?
Rugenbräu was founded in 1866. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Rugenbräu based?
Rugenbräu is headquartered in Interlaken, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does Rugenbräu make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Beer Sales are the primary driver. The others are spirits Sales, wine Sales (Wy-Chäller), B2B Sales to Catering and brewery Tours and Tastings.
Who are Rugenbräu's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Brauerei Schützengarten AG, Doppelleu Boxer Brauerei, Brauerei Fischerstube Bern and Brauerei Locher AG (Appenzeller Bier). Erzbierschof Brauerei Spezialitäten AG is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Bavaria Brau AG, Heineken Switzerland AG and Feldschlösschen Getränke AG. Diageo Switzerland / Swiss whisky peers (e.g., Säntis Malt) is listed as an others. Schlossbrauerei Schwarzbach (Ayinger) is listed as a regional player.
Does Rugenbräu have an API?
No public API is recorded for Rugenbräu.
What industry is Rugenbräu in?
Rugenbräu's product category is Craft Brewing & Distillery. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFALAB, Packaging & Production Breweries (Limited/No On-site Service), with a secondary code of CRANABAE, Fine Wine & Luxury Spirits Retail. Its NAICS code is 31212 and its SIC code is 2082.