Zoff about a cult drink: "We invented Spezi" - the Augsburg brewery wants millions from Paulaner

Created: 06/28/2022Updated: 06/28/2022, 16:20

By: Thomas Schmidtutz

Spezi: The Augsburg brewery Riegele is claiming the rights to the popular mixed drink for itself and wants millions from the beer giant Paulaner.

© Lennart Preiss/dpa

In the Free State, Spezi is considered a national drink alongside beer.

But a bitter dispute is now raging in court over the popular mix of cola and soda.

Munich – Spezi is one of the most popular mixed drinks in Germany.

Now the rights to the popular cola-soda mix are causing a fierce dispute in court.

Since Tuesday (June 28), the lawyers for the medium-sized Augsburg Riegele Brewery and the beer giant Paulaner have been dueling on this sensitive issue before the Munich I Regional Court.

Riegele sees herself as the inventor of the mixed drink and wants license fees for using the well-known name.

Paulaner rejects this.

After the start of the process, the brawlers now want to discuss a possible agreement.

The value in dispute is at least ten million euros.

Spezi dispute: Riegele boss claims mixture for himself: “Is undisputed”

It is "undisputed that Riegele invented the Spezi," said Sebastian Priller-Riegele, who runs the brewery with his father.

As early as 1956, the people of Augsburg registered the "Spezi" trademark and coined the slogan: "A Spezi has to be there", alluding to the meaning "good friend" widespread in southern Germany.

In 1977 Riegele founded an association in order to expand production with the help of other licensed breweries and thus expand it.

The core of the current dispute is an agreement from 1974 between Riegele and the then Paulaner Salvator Thomas-Bräu-AG, which both parties evaluate differently.

Riegele speaks of a license agreement that has now been terminated, combined with an offer for a new contract.

With sales of no less than 900,000 hectoliters of Spezi per year, the court calculated that up to five million euros per year could be due at Paulaner.

Spezi dispute: Paulaner considers the claim to be unfounded

In Paulaner's view, however, a license is not necessary at all.

It was only agreed in 1974 to differentiate between the two Spezi drinks and to exist side by side.

According to the Munich brewery, there was no talk of a license agreement.

In addition, Spezi has now become a generic term for this type of cola-soda mix.

The verdict could come on August 30th.