Iceland Brand now represented by Azzopardi Group Subsidiary

Malta Retailing Ltd., a subsidiary of Azzopardi Group, announces that it is to start representing Iceland Foods in Malta as of Monday, the 17th of January 2022. To date, the company operates over 29 food stores on the Maltese island and is excited with the addition of the Iceland brand to its portfolio.

Iceland Foods is a unique British food retailer with over 900 stores throughout the UK, a further 40 owned or franchised around Europe, and a global export business. The brand celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2020. At the heart of the Iceland range is frozen food renowned for its superior quality, taste, and variety.

The strategy of both companies aligns for the drive towards commitment, selling quality food, building mutually beneficial, long-term partnerships with suppliers and value for our people.

INTERSPAR Supermarket opens at Daniel’s Shopping Mall in Hamrun

INTERSPAR Supermarket at Daniel’s Shopping Mall in Hamrun is the third and largest of a string of SPAR Supermarkets in Malta.

Located at -1 level for shoppers’ convenience, with over 2,500 sq. of floor space, this is the first to open under the INTERSPAR format. The first two Spar-oriented neighborhood stores are situated in Marsaxlokk and Sliema. The INTERSPAR format is a one-stop shop solution offering a larger than usual shopping space that accommodates various needs.  Customers who visit INTERSPAR may stroll through a modern, bright, convenient and comfortable supermarket, entering a fresh area that includes a fruit and veg market-style layout, a delicatessen, bakery, butcher, fishmonger and SPAR Natural area that includes a selection of products catering for the more health conscious consumers.

INTERSPAR is committed to providing good value-for-money products without compromise whilst also showcasing a large variety of quality products from the SPAR and DESPAR range, ensuring a unique shopping experience for all our customers. Free parking facilities are also available for supermarket shoppers and are accessible through Patri Magri Street (side road of St.Joseph High Street).

Azzopardi Group Open Their Second SPAR Store In Sliema

The second SPAR store opened its doors to the public in Tigne street, Sliema on the 11th of August 2018, just a few weeks after the opening of the first store in Marsaxlokk. The announcement was made through the SPAR Malta Facebook page that also featured the different departments within the 280 sq. store, these include a Bakery, Patisserie, Delicatessen, Fruit & Veg area, Fresh & Frozen area and a dry goods multi-isle area that includes a wide range of daily essentials. The store opens from Monday to Sunday 7 am to 9 pm.

SPAR continues European expansion with entry into Malta

In second half of 2016, SPAR International granted an exclusive licence to Malta Retailing Ltd, a member of the Azzopardi Group, to operate the SPAR Brand in Malta. The first SPAR store was officially opened on 12 June 2018 in Marsaxlokk in the south-east of the country. SPAR Malta aims at becoming one of the leading retail brands on the island with a strong focus on utilising the success of  SPAR Own Brand products; not only making them available to local customers but also developing the range in accordance with their specific needs.

The launch was marked with a ceremony where the store’s opening was warmly welcomed by the town’s Mayor, residents of Marsaxlokk and the media. The newly refurbished 340 m² store offers customers the newly launched SPAR Bakery Concept, a delicatessen, a large range of fresh produce, a coffee offering, freshly packed fish and meats, as well as a large selection of SPAR Own Brand products.

The second SPAR Malta store, Tigne, is set to open at the end of June in the town of Sliema, in the centre of the island. Plans are in place to open three subsequent stores before the end of 2018, with the aim of opening a total of 23 stores by 2025, including two INTERSPAR Hypermarkets, four large-format SPAR Supermarkets, and 17 SPAR neighbourhood stores. Beyond the consistent tourist population, Malta is home to a well-established international resident population. The different SPAR Malta store formats will cater to the diverse needs of both the resident and tourist populations throughout the country.

SPAR International will support the Azzopardi Group with store design and layout plans, employee training and development, and the sourcing of own brand products from international and regional partners.

Entry into Malta demonstrates SPAR’s ongoing expansion in the Southern European region. Neighbouring the strong SPAR presence in Italy, with over 1,210 stores, and the burgeoning markets of Greece and Cyprus, SPAR Malta will consistently deliver high-quality SPAR Own Brand products along with fresh local produce to the new Maltese retail market.

Tobias Wasmuht, Managing Director of SPAR International said: “I am delighted SPAR is partnering with the Azzopardi Group in Malta. In addition to having strong retail and distribution expertise and deep knowledge of the market, the Azzopardi Group also shares our SPAR values with a dedication to fresh produce, value and excellent customer service.”

Wasmuht also noted “With a significant international and tourist population which is already familiar with SPAR, Malta is a great market for SPAR to develop. This launch marks another significant milestone for SPAR strengthening our operations in Southern Europe and in the Eurozone aligned with our expansion strategy.”

Speaking about the launch, Joseph Azzopardi, Managing Director of the Azzopardi Group said: “We are proud and excited to be partnering with such a well-known and respected organisation as SPAR International. SPAR’s global presence and high standards in retail best practice will complement the Azzopardi Group’s local expertise in the Maltese retail market. Together we will offer customers high-quality produce and a superior retail experience, as well as job opportunities and growth of the local retail market.”

The Azzopardi Group was founded by two brothers in 1980. The Group works across a number of sectors in Malta including food import and distribution, food retail, aquaculture and property development. The company currently operates 25 stores on the Maltese Islands with a turnover of €25 million. Its strong local knowledge in infrastructure, warehousing, logistics and retail capabilities will help it effectively develop SPAR in the Maltese market. The Azzopardi Group is also a corporate leader in local social responsibility activities, involved in charitable partnerships and community initiatives throughout the country.

VALHMOR – AWARD FOR THE MOST SUSTAINABLE MEDIUM BUSINESS

The theme “Give a New Life … Waste Recycle” Green Mt Awards rewarded various local councils and businesses for their environmental initiatives. Parliamentary Secretary Silvio Parnis stressed the importance of having such entities be near to the people of their neighborhoods and to promote their corporate social responsibility with constancy.

“Local councils and businesses must be catalysts of change for the better in our lives and within their respective areas”. The Parliamentary Secretary stated that several successes boiled down to a number of environmental initiatives carried out by local councils and businesses alike. Further to his speech various rewards were handed out, this included the award for the most sustainable medium business that was handed to Valhmor by Executive Secretary Duncan Hall. The award is yet another milestone in the company’s dedication and commitment towards its corporate social responsibility.

VALHMOR TO HOLD HANDS WITH ONE OF EUROPE’S FINEST

Valhmor announced that it has acquired exclusive distribution rights to world renowned brands Wolowina z Pniew and Harmony Farm. Both brands are known to provide some of the best quality meats worldwide whilst forming part of one of Europe’s leading food processors, ABP Food Group. With over 60 years of industry experience ABP Food Group have developed a strong reputation for quality, efficiency and innovation, values that run through the group’s portfolio of world-recognized brands.

Wolowina z Pniew, which literally translates as “Beef from Pniew” offers a premium range of beef products coming from ABP’s Polish Division. Whilst focusing on selecting the finest Polish livestock, Wolowina z Pniew is also a proud holder of the Ultra-Tender patented process that guarantees a high quality consistency and tender beef range. On the other hand, Harmony Farm, which was developed in ABP Ireland, boasts international recognition for having the highest health statuses in the world. Its cattle, which are raised on a predominantly grass-based diet, are known for qualities such as being low in saturated fat, being high in vitamin E and B and high in minerals such as calcium, magnesium and potassium. Valhmor’s Managing Director Mr.  Joseph Azzopardi said: “We are continually looking to add high quality, well-known brands to our current portfolio and we are very excited at the opportunity of building on the already existing success of both reputable brands. Being given the opportunity to work with an organization of ABP Food Group’s stature is one we couldn’t miss out on”

Miracle Foods, Number 19

Miracle Foods has opened its 19th store in Nicolo Isouard Street, Mosta (Corner with Constitution Street). The announcement was made through a Facebook competition that Miracle Foods ran through their page in which participants were asked to guess where they would be opening next from a bare map that they were presented with.  As all other Miracle Foods stores, it stocks a wide range of fresh and frozen foods. The store opens from Monday to Saturday, from 8am till 7pm and on Sundays from 9am till 1pm.

The Mediterranean is full of Tuna’ – iNEWS Malta

“The sea is full of tuna. As a company, AJD Tuna Ltd, caught its allotted quota in Spain and Malta in only a day. In Calabria, the quota was caught in a couple of days. This shows that the conservation efforts created by ICCAT which took place since 2009 have been fruitful and stocks have increased. In fact, the average weight of the tuna caught increased from 160kg to 195kgs. The controls have also increased, for example, during a particular catch, the French, Italian and Maltese navies were present for the transfer of the tuna between the fishermen and AJD Tuna.” In November of last year, ICCAT decided to increase the Bluefin Tuna Quota in 2015 from 7,938 tons to 9,372 tons. – Charles Azzopardi.

Wagyu Beef now available

Valhmor Borg Import/Export is proud to announce that it has added the prized Wagyu Beef to its assortment. One can find fresh Wagyu tenderloins, ribeyes, chuck, ribs and more. These products are available to clients on a weeks’ notice.