At the end of the 19th century the brothers Sebastian and Franz Paul Hamberger began the production of matchsticks in Rosenheim. In order to establish the necessary sales opportunities, Sebastian Hamberger went to Munich, where in 1908 founded a company in Orleansstraße. In 1911 this company was taken over by his sons and carried on under the name Gebrüder Hamberger. The same year they acquired the royal Bavarian market rights, which allowed them to expand into the salt trade.

The original production programme was extended in the course of time. The nature of the clientele led to the gradual development of a wholesale grocery business. In 1945 Diplom-Kaufmann* Otto Hamberger Junior joined the company as associate and later, after the death of the two seniors, became managing director. The business grew substantially through matchstick and salt trade as well as food wholesaling.

The biggest step, however, was taken in 1964. The opening of a cash-and-carry market at Friedenstraße 16 opposite the Ostbahnhof (Eastern Railway Station) gave customers the opportunity to use this very modern system which works with low prices and costs.

On 1st April 1970 Diplom-Kaufmann* Günter Titius took over as general manager, a post in which he has continued to the present day, along with Mrs. Inge Hamberger-Titius, Oliver Titius and Ralf Decker.

Today the main sphere of activity is the Hamberger Großmarkt GmbH with its attached food delivery service and a strong emphasis on the freshness of the products. The main clientele is the catering trade, hotels and commerce.

Besides the cash-and-carry market in Munich, with an area of 14,000 square meters, the company has since 1990 added two wholesaler markets in Saxony-Anhalt. At the end of 2015 a new subsidiary opened in Berlin.

A staff of around 500 people is employed in the head office in Munich and in the subsidiaries.

*equivalent: German MBA