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The two Alsatian cooperatives Wolfberger and Bestheim have canceled their planned merger. This is reported by the media La Revue du Vin de France and L’Alsace. The two wineries cite "the structural and organizational conditions" that "have not allowed a merger under optimal conditions until today.".
In January 2024, Wolfberger and Bestheim announced their intention to merge their structures. The goal was to pool resources and investments, open new markets, and grow in exports. The two wineries aimed to merge by the end of 2025, provided the members would agree to a merger. This will not happen now.
A merger of the two cooperatives would have created an Alsatian wine giant. The winery Bestheim unites 325 winemakers who cultivate 1,400 hectares of vineyards. The winery Wolfberger has 300 members with 1,250 hectares of vineyards. The combined revenue of both cooperatives exceeds 100 million euros.
Several months ago, the merger project had already stalled. The negotiations had shown "shared values and a common vision for the development of Alsatian wines." However, problems arose in aligning the corporate cultures and finding a common name. Therefore, the two cooperatives announced that they would "not present their project to the extraordinary general meetings as originally planned" and would end the process. They will pursue an "independent path" in the future.
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Wineries Wolfberger and Bestheim want to merge