Oktoberfest in Munich is one of the world's biggest folk festivals and the sanctuary of beer. Since 1810, millions of people have visited the event on Theresienwies every year. For the occasion, Munich breweries brew a special beer (Wiesnbier) with a higher alcohol content than usual. They do this to the delight of visitors, who are keen to enjoy the atmosphere and preserve the tradition of beer drinking.
The Oktoberfest and the Hofbräuhaus
Compared to other traditional a German folk festival, has a relatively short but successful history. It was first held on 12 October 1810, on the occasion of the marriage of the future King Louis I to the Saxon Princess Theresa Sarolta, and the entire population of Munich was invited to the celebrations. A large-scale horse race was held in the meadow near the city wall to mark the wedding. The Bavarian royal court decided to repeat the horse race the following year, much to the delight of the public. Since 1952, the Hofbräuhaus in Munich has been part of one of the most most excellent gastronomic festival.
In 1988, the new State Hofbräuhaus was built in Munich-Riem, which was taken over by Michael Möller on 1 September 2000. The legendary Staatliches Hofbräuhaus brewery in Munich is Bavaria's state-owned enterprise, new calendar began. The brewery produces top and bottom fermented beers, which are sold under the umbrella brand Hofbräu München. Theirs is one of the biggest tents at Oktoberfest. With the creation of the franchise, Munich's Staatliche Hofbräuhaus pursues the goal of creating Hofbräuhaus worldwide.
Michael Möller a passionate restaurateur and brewery manager, spoke over a pint of beer about the ambitious franchise concept, the high expectations and what the Bavarian State has to do with it. In an exclusive interview, the managing director explains how to run a business as a state-owned enterprise, how to get tourists and locals at the same table.
For 400 years, the Hofbräuhaus in Munich has been a leading gastronomic institution. The figures are also huge, with 3,500 seats, more than 400 pork chops a day, gallons of beer and an annual turnover of more than €50 million.
What changes have occurred in recent years?
When I also started managing the festival, my main goal was of course to continue to promote the brand more and more and to continue to run the brewery successfully. On the one hand, beer consumption in Germany has been declining since the 1980s, and on the other hand, the number of breweries has increased. This meant that there were more and more players in an increasingly smaller market, yet we have managed to double our sales in the last 20 years. At the same time, we have never been quantity-oriented. For us, it is more important than volume to deliver what the owner expects - profit. The Hofbräuhaus, like any private brewery or restaurant, is profit-oriented. The only difference is that we are not a separate legal entity. Everything we do goes straight into the Bavarian budget. We have certain special rights, which are largely based on the law on limited companies. This means that the key factor in advertising, responsible alcohol consumption, is particularly important to us.
The HOFBRÄUHAUS is hugely successful. What could be the secret?
One of Munich's most popular tourist sites is a great place to visit. We offer a homely atmosphere on the ground floor of the historic Hofbräuhaus, the so-called Schwemme, which forms the heart of the house. This is where beer was once brewed, and under the cross-beams up to 1,300 guests can be seated at tables. Guests from all nations can experience the Bavarian way of life first hand at the regulars' table. There are also comfortable, beautifully furnished rooms, so everything is in place to host private or corporate events. We host over 120 Stammtische (Stammtische are not structured meetings, but rather get-togethers with friends) for regular guests. It also makes a difference that the local public is part of the catering. They also deal with tourists who do not speak German or Bavarian. This is appreciated by all our guests, perhaps it is what has made Hofbräuhaus so famous.
Oktoberfest has been held for over 400 years
On three floors, we can seat almost four thousand people, and experience the Hofbräu experience. 55 percent of our turnover comes from beer, 45 percent from food. This means we have to keep expanding the kitchen. However, we have quickly reached the limits of our space, so we are now forced to reorganise to provide the extra service we need. Preparations such as dumpling making, seasoning, salad washing - all take place outside Munich. Our trucks constantly deliver the raw materials and finished products. It all comes down to three things: cooking, eating and drinking beer.
How could this be turned into a franchise?
Hofbräu is not only in Munich, but also in 13 other locations. The first Hofbräu franchise was actually opened on Broadway in New York in 1903. It got a lot of publicity at the time and quite a lot of beer was shipped there. But I don't want to know what it tasted like because it spent four weeks in a wooden barrel before it was served. You can't keep quality in a wooden barrel for that long, but somehow it worked. The Hofbräuhaus in New York closed down after that, and it was only in the 1990s that the subject came up again, and it was mainly in the USA that many people wanted to open a Hofbräuhaus. In 1993, the Hungarian Kanizsai brewery was added to the system, which was taken over by South African Breweries in 1994. It has to be admitted that the Hofbräuhaus is not a small pub, but a high-class venue. This can only be done with the right partner who knows how to run a big business. That is precisely why we do not actively sell licences, although we are approached by many people. It's a lengthy process where we look at the conditions, the possibilities, then we can start the process and get the franchise agreement in place. We keep these under constant control with our subsidiary there, and our chefs and master brewers are regularly involved in the checks. Quality control is the key.
Creating events is also a huge logistical task
We have set up Hofbräule daughter companies everywhere, which control the franchise business products, imports, exports in the US, this is near Las Vegas. But we also work with local partners in other countries - for beer exports. It took years of experience to make everything work in a flexible and predictable way. Today, a fully developed system guarantees smooth and professional operation. When people attend Hofbräuhaust events and consume our beers anywhere in the world, they always receive the highest quality.
Source: https://www.ktchnrebel.com/hofbrauhaus-michael-moeller/
