In the second half of the 19th century, the food supply in Basel expanded as a result of the city's significant growth. The population quadrupled, and new neighborhoods emerged outside the fortifications that were abandoned in 1859, which posed specific demands. During the crisis-ridden 1880s, the food trade grew significantly as it offered many people a chance to make a living. Structurally, this led to the trading sector gaining importance at the expense of the food craft. The branch system took hold, and a modern-looking marketing approach along with forward-looking innovations made their way in. This development can be traced from traditional sales forms, such as the Anken or butter market in the Barfüsserkirche, to very dynamic developments with national or even international retail chains. Throughout, the focus was on satisfying customer needs, meaning procuring, offering, and selling what was desired. The emergence of a commercially viable service began to become increasingly evident. A picture of an important, multifaceted economic sector, which has received little attention in historical research so far, is taking shape.