The private brewery ERDINGER Weissbräu is setting the course for the successful future of its international business: on 1 January 2026, Dirk von Kries will take over as Export Director from Marcus Korte. Until the handover, the two will work together as co-heads, driving forward the strategic direction and ensuring a seamless transition.

Marcus Korte is stepping down from operational management at his own request. He has been responsible for the brewery's international business since the end of 2018 and, as a member of the Management Board, was part of ERDINGER Weissbräu's strategic leadership team. He had already been involved in the development of general corporate strategy as an external consultant in 2018 before taking on an active leadership role. The experienced industry expert will remain closely associated with ERDINGER Weissbräu and is expected to advise on strategic issues and international projects until 2027 – in close cooperation with the new Export Director and CEO Dr. Stefan Kreisz. “Marcus Korte restructured ERDINGER's export business, set its strategic course and steered it expertly through challenging times, most notably the COVID-19 pandemic. Together with his highly accomplished Export Team, he succeeded in quickly returning the business to its pre-coronavirus level and even surpassing it. We would like to express our sincere gratitude for his commitment and exceptional achievements,” states Dr. Stefan Kreisz.

Exports have long been a key factor in ERDINGER Weissbräu's success. The brewery ranks among the top three German beer exporters and its products are available in over 100 countries. As one of the leading brewers of wheat beer (“Weissbier”), ERDINGER enjoys an excellent international reputation – and increasingly also now for its Bavarian lager specialities (“Helles”). This global success is based on its unwavering commitment to quality: every ERDINGER beer speciality is brewed exclusively in Erding using the finest ingredients and in strict accordance with the Bavarian Purity Law.

The new Export Director, Dirk von Kries, is an experienced and long-serving member of the ERDINGER family. Apart from a brief spell elsewhere, the 52-year-old has been with the brewery since 2016 and, as Senior Regional Sales Director Export, has been responsible for numerous markets in Europe, Asia, Africa and North America since 2021. Prior to this, he gained extensive international experience in the high-end hotel and on-trade sectors. Dirk von Kries will assume overall responsibility for the ERDINGER Export Team and report directly to Dr. Stefan Kreisz, who is delighted with the internal appointment: “Dirk von Kries has done an outstanding job for our company over the past few years. Together with his strong team, we are confident that he will raise ERDINGER's global profile, open up new markets, build on existing partnerships and position our brand internationally as the epitome of the Bavarian love of life.”

For Dirk von Kries, the new role is an exciting challenge: “I am fully motivated – especially in view of increasingly complex international markets with growing price pressure and a volatile global situation. Working together as a team, we are determined to develop new solutions to inspire even more people around the world with our brand and strengthen ERDINGER's position as the benchmark for Bavarian brewing excellence.” His initial focus will be on the targeted development of existing core markets and the strategic analysis and exploitation of new sales opportunities. In doing so, he will rely on ERDINGER's proven quality philosophy and emotional brand management.