In 1862 Franz Martin Zumtobel started with candle manufacturing as his first business, followed by the opening of a general store.
His son, Otto, a pioneer in the Austrian coffee industry, establishes the first ”hand-operated” coffee roasting plant in 1898 and owned a transit storehouse for spices, coffee and colonial goods located in Trieste, Italy.
The expansion of the company as a wholesale business was initiated in 1934, and in 1956 the wholesale organisation ”A & O” was founded under the leadership of Dr. Martin Zumtobel, Otto's son.
With Dkfm. Martin Zumtobel joining the company in 1971, the basis for a vast expansion was laid and in 1975 the first ”familia” grocery store was opened.

1993: FAMILIA sold to MIGROS (Switzerland); purchase of 50% of GANTNER Electronic GmbH, Vorarlberg.
1994: Joint Ventures started in China and Hong Kong, Purchase of 50% of REC Werkstoffe GesmbH Berlin, Deutschland.
1995: Take-over of XTC Energy Drink.
A new venture is started in 1996 with the investment in SANOWAY GmbH, beginning of STONETEC Establishment.
Purchase of 50% of ELDOM in 1997, which sees its new focus around innovative concepts for espresso-machines.
1998: Investment into IDENTEC Solutions, which flows through GANTNER Electronic. SUN RIVERS Golf Resort in Canada started construction of the golf course and site servicing as well as presales of several homes and lots.
Zumtobel Coffee soled in 2001.

In the year 2002 the "18 Hole SUN Rivers Championship Golf Course" was completed and officially opened. SANOWAY is awarded a major order in Dubai/UAE, which sets the course for further major projects in the Middle East and South Africa.
2003: ELDOM sold the Project "fully automatic espresso coffee machine" to a Dutch corporation and also secured a licencing agreement with a partner from China.
2004: Dubai Investment Park becomes a SANOWAY customer and orders SANOPLANT for use in tree planting.
GANTNER Electronic receives in 2005 the largest order in the company’s history from Fitness First, Europe’s largest fitness club chain. REC Bauelemente products are seen in showrooms in Berlin, Hamburg, Vienna, Moskow, Dubai.

2006: XTC presents its new drink "Red Cactus".
SUN RIVERS surpasses the 200 lot sale mark, 190 homes are now built and over 350 people call Sun Rivers 'home'. IDENTEC Solutions begins the new year with the highest number of purchase orders to date. GANTNER Electronic establishes GANTNER Electronics Ltd in St. Neots (UK) for servicing the flourishing British fitness market.
REC Bauelemente wins the competitions for the blind guidance system at "Lehrter main train station" in Berlin.

2007: Investment into petra-electric.
GANTNER Electronic expands its business in the Far East and Australia and consolidates the leading position in the market with a completely new product series. IDENTEC buys "Baumer Ident", one of the leading suppliers of industrial RFID, and builds up a new Headquater in Dallas.

In spring 2008 GANTNER Electronics PTY Ltd. was founded in Sydney/Australia. GANTNER's ticketing and admission control systems fast gain market share on the Scandinavian market.
More than 400 lots sold, with 600 people living at Sun Rivers. The company sold the Village Centre development site to a developer who will build 450 condominium units plus the Sun Rivers Resident’s Club and commercial and retail space. The first 110 units pre-sell in one day.