From its founding in Valletta’s Grand Harbour through five generations of family leadership, Salvo Grima & Sons grew into a trusted name in ship supply, maintaining strong ties with the international shipping sector.
2015
Salvo Grima Group acquires Vladex B.V., a Dutch wholesale firm based in Middelharnis, located between the major ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp. The intention is to target international wholesale business in new European markets.
2016
Karl Aquilina, a sixth generation member of the Grima family, is appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Group, spearheading its increased digitalisation, modernising its processes and initiating further geographic diversification. In line with leadership guidelines laid down in the Group’s Family Charter, Robert C. Aquilina relinquishes his executive role, becoming the Group’s Non Executive Chair.
2017
Fourteen years after its Pinto House office move, the Group again needs larger head office premises, and relocates to a more convenient location, adjacent to its warehouse facilities in Marsa, Malta.
2018
In a planned transition of ownership and control aimed at long-term growth, the 6th generation of the Grima family become shareholders of holding entity, Salvo Grima Group Limited.
Salvo Grima Group wins a tender to operate and supply duty-free travel retail outlets at the DP World Limassol Cruise Port in Cyprus, once again in close collaboration with Gebr. Heinemann. This concession runs successfully until unrest in the East Mediterranean hits the cruise industry in 2024.
2020
During the peak of the COVID-pandemic, the Group identifies the opportunity to extend its reach from North to East Africa. It is awarded the role of national distributor for British American Tobacco, and subsequently Danone, in Rwanda, East Africa, thereby launching Salvo Grima Rwanda Limited, specialising in the distribution of branded consumer goods in East Africa on behalf of leading multinationals.
In Malta, meanwhile, the Group acquires power tools wholesaler and retailer C&C Technik Ltd, which supplies high quality tools and technical equipment to businesses and tradesmen in Malta. This complements the technical aspect of the ship supply operation.
2022
Unilever, a world leader in the consumer goods sector, appoints the Group as its national distributor in Rwanda. The Group expands its operations, employs over 110 local staff members, and invests in over 30 distribution vehicles and regional depots. This coincides with the launch of new corporate premises in Kigali’s business district, serving as the Group’s Africa Headquarters.
2023
Within a few years, the Group has once again outgrown its Malta head office and relocates to much larger, and purposely designed, award-winning office complex in Marsa, serving as a hub for its growing international operations.
2024
Having distributed tobacco products in Libya on behalf of British American Tobacco and Swedish Match for a number of years, the Group relocates to a brand-new building in Tripoli, complementing its warehouse facility in Misurata Free Zone, whilst further strengthening its trade marketing capabilities.
Meanwhile, in East Africa, world-leading manufacturers Mondelez International, SC Johnson and Kimberley-Clark appoint the Group as national distributor in Rwanda.
Salvo Grima Group is awarded “Best Emerging Markets Exporter” at the Malta International Business Awards 2024; organized by TradeMalta, this is endorsed by the Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade.
2025
Together with Algerian partners, the Group is awarded the anchor duty-free retail concession at Algiers International Airport, ‘Houari Boumediene International’, with 2,000 square meters of prime airside space offering a range of duty-free items. This flagship outlet operates under the Group’s own ‘Horizon’ brand, with long-standing partner Gebr. Heinemann as lead suppliers.
Still owned by founder Salvatore Grima’s descendants, Salvo Grima Group proudly marks its 165th Anniversary. Continuing to supply ships and yachts, the Group has grown into an internationally-focused and forward-looking business, increasingly active in distribution and travel retail, across a growing number of markets, with operations in 7 countries and employing over 300 people across Europe and Africa.
