What Hofbrau Munchen does

Hofbräu München, legally Staatliches Hofbräuhaus in München, is a traditional Bavarian brewery founded in 1589 by Duke Wilhelm V and owned by the Free State of Bavaria since 1852. Operating from a modern facility in Munich-Riem (opened 1988) that processes approximately 4,000 metric tons of malt annually and exceeds 310,000 hectoliters of production, the company brews a 14-SKU portfolio of bottom-fermented lagers (Helles, Dunkel), top-fermented wheat beers (Münchner Weisse, Schwarze Weisse, Kristall Weisse), seasonal specialties (Oktoberfestbier, Maibock, Sommer-/Winterzwickl), and alcohol-free/low-alcohol variants, all brewed under the Bayerisches Reinheitsgebot of 1516 with water from the brewery's own 150-meter deep well and proprietary yeast pure cultivation. The product range carries protected geographical indications 'Münchner Bier' and 'Bayerisches Bier' (g.g.A.).

The company earns revenue through four primary streams: (1) domestic beer sales to retail trade and gastronomy in bottles and kegs; (2) direct-to-consumer sales via the Hofbräuhaus Fan Shop, B2B shop, and bierselect.de; (3) franchise and licensing royalties from 35+ Hofbräuhaus and Hofbräu Wirtshaus locations in Germany, Austria, the US, China, and Brazil; and (4) on-premises consumption at company-owned venues — the iconic Hofbräuhaus am Platzl restaurant in central Munich, the listed heritage Hofbräukeller, and the 10,000-seat Hofbräu-Festzelt at Oktoberfest. Ancillary revenue comes from paid brewery tours (€15–20 per person) at the Munich-Riem facility. Distribution spans wholesale, e-commerce, own physical retail, and international franchising, with state ownership providing patient capital that has enabled continuous modernization (Sudhaus 2018–2019; keg filling 2024) and a long-running sustainability program (EMAS-certified since 2001, 70% CO2 reduction since 1998).

Name

Hofbrau Munchen

Legal name

Staatliches Hofbräuhaus in München

Website

https://hofbraeu-muenchen.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hofbräu München is a state-owned Bavarian brewery (owned by the Free State of Bavaria, founded 1589) that produces traditional lagers, wheat beers, and seasonal specialties under the Reinheitsgebot, distributing through domestic retail and gastronomy, international franchises in 35+ locations, and its own flagship venues including the Hofbräuhaus am Platzl and Oktoberfest Festzelt.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Traditional Bavarian Brewery

NAICS

Breweries (31212), Breweries (312120), Beverage Manufacturing (3121)

SIC

Malt Beverages (2082), Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Beer Brewing & Brands (CRADAIAA)

Keywords

• Bavarian beer brewing
• Traditional lager production
• Wheat beer manufacturing
• Beer franchise licensing
• Oktoberfest beer supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Munich

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Beer sales - retail and gastronomy (national): Sale of packaged beer (bottles, kegs) through retail trade and directly to gastronomy partners within Germany. Products include Hofbräu Original, Hofbräuhaus Hell, Hofbräu Dunkel, Hofbräu Münchner Weisse, seasonal specialties, and non-alcoholic variants. Beer is sold in 0.5l NRW bottles, 0.33l longneck bottles, and 30l/50l kegs.
2. Franchise and licensing revenue: International and domestic franchise fees and licensing royalties from Hofbräuhaus restaurant locations worldwide (US, China, Brazil, Germany, Austria). Hofbräuhaus restaurants operate under licensed concepts in Newport/Kentucky, Las Vegas, Jiangyin/China, and other locations, with national Wirtshaus franchises in Germany and Austria.
3. Direct consumer e-commerce (online shops): Direct-to-consumer sales via Hofbräuhaus online fan shop (hofbraeuhaus-shop.de) and the B2B shop (b2b.hofbraeu-muenchen.de), as well as the bierselect.de consumer shop. Sales include packaged beer, fan articles, and merchandise.
4. Brewery tours and on-site experiences: Paid brewery tours (Brauereiführungen) at the Munich-Riem brewery, priced at €15 per person (without Brotzeit) or €20 per person (with Brotzeit), available for groups of 10–30 persons. Participants sample beer directly from fermentation tanks.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Hofbräu München is a Munich-based traditional brewery founded in 1589 that produces bottom-fermented and top-fermented Bavarian beers under the 1516 Reinheitsgebot (Bavarian Purity Law), using its own 150m deep well water supply and proprietary yeast pure cultivation system. The brewery operates the flagship Hofbräuhaus am Platzl restaurant, the Hofbräukeller event venue, the Hofbräu-Festzelt on the Oktoberfest grounds, and licenses the Hofbräuhaus restaurant concept internationally through franchise partners.

Product overview

Hofbräu München is a traditional Munich-based brewery offering a portfolio of 14 distinct beer products under the Hofbräu and Hofbräuhaus brands. The core portfolio includes bottom-fermented beers (Helles/Dark lagers) and top-fermented wheat beers, categorized into year-round classics, seasonal specialties, and alcohol-free/light variants. The company also operates complementary service offerings including brewery tours, B2B ordering platform, consumer fan shop, and media asset portal for business partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hofbräu Original Under-fermented Munich Helles lager representing Bavarian Gemütlichkeit, with full-bodied, finely spicy flavor and distinct hop aroma. Certified Munich Beer (g.g.A.).
• Hofbräuhaus Hell Crisp, soft Munich Helles developed for the 500th Reinheitsgebot anniversary, featuring a nostalgic 1950s-style brown Euro bottle with Bavarian diamond pattern label.
• Hofbräu Dunkel Dark lager representing the original Bavarian beer style first brewed at Hofbräuhaus over 400 years ago, with mahogany color and flavors of chocolate, bread crust, and caramel.
• Hofbräu Münchner Weisse Light yeast wheat beer with over 400 years of brewing tradition, featuring fruity-spicy character with banana and apricot aromas and fine clove notes.
• Hofbräu Schwarze Weisse Dark wheat beer brewed with wheat malt, Munich malt and light barley malt, offering banana and caramel sweetness with light roasted aromas and hints of forest honey and plum.
• Hofbräu Kristall Weisse Filtered wheat beer with crystal clarity, removing turbidity and yeast for a sparkling, refreshing drinking experience with citrus aromas and spicy banana notes.
• Hofbräu Weisse Leicht Light wheat beer with only 2.6% Vol., approximately 50% less alcohol and 35% fewer calories than classic yeast wheat beer, for conscious beer enjoyment.
• Hofbräu Weisse Alkoholfrei Non-alcoholic wheat beer specialty with full original beer taste and character, ideal as a thirst quencher with lower sweetness and fewer calories.
• Hofbräuhaus Natur Radler Alcohol-reduced (2.3% Vol.) beer mix combining cloudy lemonade with 5.5% fruit content and refreshing light beer, ideal for hot summer days.
• Hofbräu Alkoholfrei Non-alcoholic under-fermented beer specialty produced using gentle brewing that preserves valuable beer ingredients while maintaining full beer flavor.
• Hofbräu Sommerzwickl Seasonal unfiltered lager (Kellerbier) available from late April to end of July, with fresh sparkling notes of waffle and licorice, fruity-aromatic and subtly bitter finish.
• Hofbräu Oktoberfestbier Full-bodied festival beer (6.3% Vol.) with fine hop aroma and flavors of light caramel, dried fruits, figs, honey, and grapefruit. Available mid-July to end of September.
• Hofbräu Winterzwickl Seasonal unfiltered dark lager (Kellerbier) with fine chocolate and roasted malt notes, harmonically strong in taste. Available from end of October to mid-January.
• Hofbräuhaus Maibock Munich's oldest bock beer (7.2% Vol.), first brewed in 1614, with full-bodied malty-aromatic taste featuring biscuit sweetness, rumtopf aromas, and light grapefruit bitterness.
• Brewery Tours (Brauereiführungen) Behind-the-scenes guided tours of the Munich-Riem brewery including brewing process education, raw material experiences, fermentation and storage cellars, and filling demonstrations for groups of 10-30 persons in German and English.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70% CO2 reduction since 1998
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CHAPS Merchandising GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationCHAPS Merchandising GmbH operates the Hofbräuhaus Online Shop on behalf of Hofbräu München. They process online contract formations, collect personal data entered in the online contract forms, and perform creditworthiness checks. CHAPS also handles order fulfillment including logistics and delivery.
• CleverReach GmbH & Co. KGcoreTechnology or IntegrationCleverReach provides newsletter distribution services for Hofbräu München's email marketing. The newsletter is sent via CleverReach as part of commissioned data processing, including registration/abandonment logging, reach analysis via open/click tracking, and conversion tracking. Servers are located in Germany and Ireland.
• Bayerischer Naturschutzfonds (Bavarian Nature Conservation Fund)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2017, Hofbräu München partnered with the Bayerischer Naturschutzfonds for the rewetting of the 'Weitmoos south of Schleinsee' moor, which was the starting signal for the brewery's CO2 compensation projects.
• University of AugsburgminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHofbräu München cooperated with the University of Augsburg in 2011 on a thesis that calculated the complete CO2 footprint of their beers 'from field to glass' – the first such calculation by any brewery worldwide. This partnership led to the development of Hofbräu's climate strategy.
• Umweltpakt Bayern & B.A.U.M. e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHofbräu München is a member of the Umweltpakt Bayern and B.A.U.M. e.V. (Bundesdeutscher Arbeitskreis für Umweltbewusstes Management), supporting sustainable environmental management practices.
• PROLIANCE GmbH / datenschutzexperte.deminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExternal data protection officer (Datenschutzbeauftragter) provided by PROLIANCE GmbH / datenschutzexperte.de, located at Leopoldstr. 21, 80802 München. Handles GDPR compliance and data protection advisory services.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Krombacher Brauerei: Germany's largest privately-held brewery by sales (pilsner-led), competing with Hofbräu for national retail shelf space, gastronomy distribution, and sports/event sponsorship. Broad incumbent with similar scale and German-market focus.
• Radeberger Gruppe (Dr. Oetker): Germany's largest private brewery group with a portfolio including Radeberger Pilsner, Jever, and Schöfferhofer wheat beer. While not a Munich brewery, it competes for national German retail share, gastronomy accounts, and export channels with a broader beer-style portfolio.
• Anheuser-Busch InBev (German operations): Global brewing giant whose German portfolio includes Beck's, Corona (imported), and through Spaten-Löwenbräu, direct Munich heritage brands. Sets the competitive ceiling on scale, marketing spend, and international distribution that Hofbräu faces in export markets.
• Bitburger Braugruppe: Major German pilsner-focused brewery group with national distribution and significant gastronomy share. Competes for retail contracts and on-premise volume in the same German foodservice channels where Hofbräu operates.

Others

• Hofbräuhaus Las Vegas (franchise): Licensed replica of the Munich Hofbräuhaus opened in 2004 — illustrates the franchise model that drives Hofbräu's international brand extension and the quality-control/fresh-beer-supply dynamics associated with operating the brand abroad.

Direct peers

• Paulaner Brauerei Gruppe: One of Munich's six traditional breweries and a fellow Oktoberfestbier producer with a comparable product portfolio (Helles, Dunkel, Weisse, Oktoberfestbier). Paulaner is the most direct head-to-head competitor for both domestic retail share and Oktoberfest Wiesn allocation, and operates its own franchise and gastronomy footprint.
• Augustiner-Bräu Wagner: Munich's largest traditional brewery by volume, also producing Munich-only Oktoberfestbier under the same Reinheitsgebot framework. Augustiner is widely considered the prestige brand among Munich's six breweries and competes directly for gastronomy and festival accounts.
• Erdinger Weißbräu: Germany's largest wheat beer (Weissbier) brewery and a direct competitor in the Bavarian wheat beer category where Hofbräu's Münchner Weisse, Kristall Weisse, and Schwarze Weisse compete. Operates similar export and gastronomy distribution across Europe and internationally.
• Spaten-Löwenbräu Gruppe: Another of Munich's six traditional breweries, now owned by AB InBev. Spaten and Löwenbräu are core Oktoberfestbier producers with overlapping product portfolios (Helles, Märzen, Dunkel) and a similarly deep gastronomy and export footprint.
• Hacker-Pschorr Brau: Munich's sixth traditional brewery, producing Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfestbier for the Wiesn. Direct competitor with shared Reinheitsgebot heritage, comparable Bavarian product mix, and similar gastronomy-focused distribution model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCysfcDSmB0w7wgNkHJX_pQw
• Facebookfacebook.com/HBmuenchen
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hofbrauhaus-usa
• Instagraminstagram.com/hofbraeumuenchen
• Xx.com/HofbrauUSA

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hofbrau Munchen