History

History of the Schörghuber Group

The history of the Schörghuber Group is as fascinating as it is inspiring. From the very beginning, it has been shaped by two defining factors: Its deep roots in traditional ideas as well as the always vigilant gaze set on the future.

If you want to understand who and what is behind the name Schörghuber, it is worth taking a look back. Back to the founding of the family business and its expansion by Josef Schörghuber, back to the period of structuring and globalization of the group of companies after 1995 shaped by his son Stefan Schörghuber, back to the work that Alexandra Schörghuber has done since 2008, and on through to her son Florian Schörghuber's joining the company’s management team in 2022.

A journey through time

Below, both the gallery and a short video illustrating select milestones offer numerous insights into the rich history and tradition of the company.

  • 1954-1995
    Josef Schörghuber
  • 1995-2008
    Stefan Schörghuber
  • since 2008
    Alexandra Schörghuber
1954

The story of what is today a successful family-owned company begins in 1954 in Munich, when Josef Schörghuber founds Bayerische Hausbau. In the years that follow, the qualified civil engineer and son of a carpenter, lays the foundation for more than six decades of tradition and innovation with numerous development projects executed by his property development company.

1965

One of the best known and most important of Bayerische Hausbau's projects is Munich's Arabellapark. Construction of the urban development is launched in 1965 in the east of Munich on what is literally a green field site. To Josef Schörghuber, it represents a vision come true – a vision he had encountered during his travels in the USA: a "city within a city" that offers a place to live, work and relax. 

1968

While Bayerische Hausbau grows successfully during the 1960s, Josef Schörghuber turns his attention to other areas of business. He recognizes the Germans' desire to travel as an opportunity and first becomes involved in scheduled airline operations, with a stake in the airline Bavaria Fluggesellschaft, and later also in the charter business, with a stake in Germanair. He gives the latter up in 1979 and the majority of the aircraft are sold to Hapag-Lloyd. The remaining airplanes form the basis of the business division aircraft leasing.

1969

Completion of the Arabellahaus building in Arabellapark also marks the opening of the Arabella Hotel Bogenhausen. It is the first hotel in a rapidly growing hotel group, which just three years later has five hotels in Munich and Upper Bavaria that it can call its own. The Hotels division soon expands beyond the borders of Bavaria.

1979

At the end of the 1970s, the acquisition of the majority of the shares in Hacker Pschorr marks the birth of the Beverages division. That same year, Josef Schörghuber also acquires a majority shareholding in Paulaner-Salvator-Thomasbräu and Kulmbacher Reichelbräu. To the traditionally-minded businessman, the rise to brewers of distinction is no less interesting than the long-established breweries' lucrative portfolio of properties.

1995

Josef Schörghuber is an avid businessman who feels a deep emotional attachment to the city of Munich. Shortly before his death, he makes a special gift to the city's youngest and most needy citizens. The non-profit Josef Schörghuber-Stiftung für Münchner Kinder provides financial assistance to children and adolescents that enables them to participate in activities organized during the school holidays. Josef Schörghuber donates three million deutsche marks to the city for this purpose.

1995

Stefan Schörghuber succeeds his father, taking the helm of the Group. As chairman of the executive board, he assumes responsible for guiding the fortunes of the family-owned company from this point on. The businessman cut his teeth early. At the tender age of 23, he assumed responsibility for the Hotels division, established golfing activities on Mallorca and pushed ahead with expansion in this business area. From 1990 on, he represented the division on the holding company's executive board.

1998

Stefan Schörghuber starts to organize the widely diversified Group and to clearly structure the activities in the individual business divisions. For example, all the properties belonging to the Group – those from its own developments projects and those belonging to the breweries the Group had acquired – are combined under a single roof.

1998

In the same year, Stefan Schörghuber takes the Hotels division to a new level when he enters into a joint venture with ITT Sheraton, today Marriott. From this time on, the hotels in the Group carry the hotel partner's renowned brand names such as St. Regis, The Westin and Sheraton.

2001

A joint venture with the Dutch Heineken brewery group opens up new markets for the brands belonging to the Schörghuber Group's Beverages division – first and foremost for Paulaner. Today the Beverages division, with its group of 11 regional breweries, is synonymous with a diverse beer culture, a long brewing tradition and beers of the highest quality.

2005

The restructuring of the corporate group moves forward. The Group's construction and real estate know-how, developed over decades, is bundled under the roof of Bayerische Bau und Immobilien Gruppe. From 2012 on, business in this field is once again conducted under the name Bayerische Hausbau, a clear nod to the rich history of the business division.

2008

Following the sudden death of Stefan Schörghuber, Alexandra Schörghuber succeeds him as the head of the company. She brings with her many years of experience gained in numerous supervisory and management positions in the family’s private business ventures, which include Bavaria Parkgaragen, lift and cable car companies in Upper Bavaria, hotels and a salmon farming company in Chile.

2010

Under the management of Alexandra Schörghuber and Dr. Klaus N. Naeve, as chairman of the executive board, the corporate group continues to adapt to changing market conditions. Although the Aircraft Leasing division remains profitable thanks to skillfully negotiated contracts, the outlook for the future, in the face of competition from much bigger market players, is bleak. The airliners are therefore sold and activity in this field of business comes to an end after almost 30 years.

2011

From 2011, the name of the game in the Hotels division is ownership instead of leasehold. This change in strategy also has an impact on the Group's collaboration with long-standing partner, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, today Marriott. In the future, the partner will be responsible for the operational management the hotels in Germany, Switzerland and on Mallorca.

2011

In 2011, the Schörghuber Group expands into a new area of business. The salmon farming activities bundled under the roof of Productos del Mar Ventisqueros are transferred from the Schörghuber family’s private business realm to the Schörghuber Group as a fourth business division, Seafood. The company primarily supplies its products to the markets in Japan, the USA and Brazil and is one of Chile's top 10 producers of farmed salmon.

2015

The Paulaner brewery continues to grow, most notably abroad. This success presents it with a major challenge: a new production location is needed. Therefore, in 2015, construction of one of Europe's most modern new breweries is launched in Munich-Langwied. By the year 2023, Bayerische Hausbau will have created living space for approximately 3,500 people on what were previously the business premises of the Paulaner brewery in the Au district of Munich. The plans are drawn up in close consultation with local residents and the public, a process with which Bayerische Hausbau sets new standards.

2016

In the beginning of 2016 the Westin Hamburg welcomed its first guests. The hotel spans 21 floors of the Elbphilharmonie, boasts 205 rooms and 39 suites and counts among the group’s hotel division’s most prestigious objects. Within its first year it also proved to be one of the most successful.

2019

Arabellapark, one of the most prestigious projects of the Schörghuber Group is celebrating an impressive 50th anniversary. To this day, the district situated in Munich’s East is still considered visionary.

2019

After over 10 years of helming the Schörghuber Group, Dr. Klaus N Naeve retires from his post. Nico Nusmeier, a longtime member of the foundation board of the Josef Schörghuber Stiftung, takes over as Chairman of the Board of the Schörghuber Group on July 1, 2019.

2022

The transformation of the group not only shifts the focus of the holding company to the strategic management of the business divisions, which operate autonomously in their markets, but also expands the executive board: Nico Nusmeier and Alexandra Schörghuber have been joined by Florian Schörghuber as co-CEO and Stefan Fischbach as CFO. The Schörghuber family intends the new, decentralized structure of the group, which will come into effect on 1 January 2023, to ensure the future viability of the company for generations to come.