- Paulaner recorded 23.8% growth in China during 2025, with total group beverage sales increasing by 13.8% to 7.9 million hectolitres
- The German brewery partnered with Audi Revolut F1 Team for the 2026 season, with the team securing its first championship points in Melbourne
- Paulaner has almost doubled its international sales since 2015, with over one-third of beer sales now occurring outside Germany
- The brewery aims to become the top international premium beer brand in China within 2-3 years, currently ranking third
- The brand's F1 partnership includes presence on Audi team helmets, paddock hospitality rights, and activation across more than 20 markets
390-year-old German brewery reports record China growth as Audi F1 debut season delivers first-ever championship points
MELBOURNE / SHANGHAI - German premium beer brand Paulaner, Official Supplier of the Audi Revolut F1 Team, recorded its fastest international growth on record as Formula 1’s 2026 season opened across Melbourne and Shanghai. China - Paulaner’s fastest-growing export market - surged 23.8% in 2025, while total group beverage sales rose 13.8% to 7.9 million hectolitres. Paulaner’s two most senior executives travelled to Shanghai for the Chinese Grand Prix - the race’s second year back after a five-year COVID-enforced absence - and met with leading Chinese business and financial media as the Audi F1 partnership’s debut season secured its first-ever Formula 1 championship points in Melbourne.
“China holds a special place in Paulaner’s global story. The growth we have seen here is not just a number - it reflects a genuine connection between Chinese consumers and what Paulaner represents: quality, heritage and the Bavarian way of life. Being in Shanghai, at the Formula 1, is exactly where Paulaner belongs.”
– Florian Schörghuber, CEO, Schörghuber Group, majority shareholder of Paulaner Brewery Group
Paulaner and the Audi Revolut F1 Team formed a long-term partnership ahead of the 2026 season, with the Munich-based brewery serving as the team’s official supplier. Paulaner 0.0%, the brand’s non-alcoholic wheat beer, is central to the partnership, giving fans a way to share in the celebratory, social spirit of motorsport while embracing the values of high performance, safety, and responsibility.
The Audi Revolut F1 Team entered the 2026 season with seasoned German driver Nico Hülkenberg alongside Brazilian rookie Gabriel Bortoleto, who claimed the team’s first-ever Formula 1 championship points in Melbourne, finishing ninth. For a partnership built on shared values of performance and precision, those debut points set the tone for the season ahead.
The partnership marks a pivotal moment in Paulaner’s international expansion. In 2025, the Paulaner brand family achieved 9% global growth, with China leading all export markets at 23.8% - a result all the more significant given China’s consumer market is only now fully re-emerging after years of COVID-related disruption. Since 2015, Paulaner has almost doubled its international sales, with more than one-third of all Paulaner beer now sold outside Germany.
“China is our fastest-growing market and one of the most exciting beer markets in the world. We see a new generation of Chinese consumers embracing German premium beer, and Paulaner is perfectly positioned to lead that conversation. Partnering with the Audi F1 Team brings that story to life on the biggest possible stage.”
– Jörg Biebernick, CEO, Paulaner Brewery Group
Biebernick drew a direct parallel between Paulaner’s China ambitions and those of its F1 partner. Currently ranked third among international premium beer brands in China, Paulaner targets the top position within two to three years - mirroring Audi’s publicly stated goal of becoming Formula 1 world champion. “This is what we have in common with Audi,” said Biebernick. “If we continue to build on platforms like F1, I believe we can reach the top in China too.”
Paulaner’s commitment to China extended beyond commercial results. Both CEOs travelled to Shanghai for the Chinese Grand Prix, sitting down with leading Chinese business and financial media – a clear signal of how central the Chinese market has become to Paulaner’s global strategy.
The Audi F1 partnership gives Paulaner a presence across a race calendar spanning more than 20 markets, with the brand featured on Audi F1 team helmets, active in paddock hospitality as the team’s exclusive drinks supplier, and present across partner events and fan activations throughout the season. For a 390-year-old Bavarian brewery that has built its reputation on quality and craftsmanship, Formula 1 provides a platform that connects those values with a new generation of fans worldwide.
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About Paulaner Brewery Group
Founded in Munich in 1634, Paulaner has brewed according to the German Purity Law for nearly four centuries. The Paulaner brand family exports to more than 80 countries and recorded total group sales of 7.9 million hectolitres in 2025. Paulaner is a founding member of the Oktoberfest tradition and the Official Supplier of the Audi Revolut F1 Team in 2026.
About Schörghuber Group
Paulaner Brewery Group is part of the Schörghuber Group, one of Bavaria’s most established family-owned conglomerates, with interests spanning beverages, hospitality, and real estate. The Schörghuber family has held a majority shareholding in Paulaner since the 1990s.
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