Although Hawkers was founded in 2014 and launched in February 2015, the company’s roots extend way back. Mazen Hajjar - Hawkers’ founder - started the craft brewery in July 2006 during the Israel–Hezbollah War. By the time Mazen left, his old craft brewery was wildly successful; it was exporting beer to 26 different countries.

During Mazen’s first trip to Australia, he took to the streets of Sydney with bags full of 961 beer samples and went door to door promoting his wares just like the hawkers of old. It was then that Mazen decided to open a brewery in Australia and name it Hawkers as a tribute to the street vendors who roamed the early days of the colony.

Back then, many early immigrants were hawkers as they needed little capital and skill to push a cart and earn a living. Their efforts were vital for boosting many regional economies and they also helped the colony to grow.