Hili Salomone Ltd, a new joint venture between Hili Company (a division of Hili Ventures) and VJ Salomone, has acquired StarKing, a major Apple reseller in Hungary.
StarKing has three Apple Premium Reseller stores located in Budapest’s major malls. Its 30-strong team is led by Zoltan Sandor, the chief executive recently appointed by Hili Salomone Ltd.
StarKing’s stunning stores showcase Apple’s vast product range and deliver on Apple’s promise of a unique retail experience.
Within separate in-store areas, StarKing stores also stock products, peripherals and accessories by top technology brands, including Microsoft, Beats, JBL & HarmanKardon, Samsung, Macally and iSkin.
Hili Salomone Ltd is also to venture into Romania
Meanwhile, Hili Salomone Ltd is also to venture into Romania. The company has been granted approval by Apple to open three Apple Premium Reseller stores of its own in prime locations in Bucharest.
The first of three stores will open in October at the new Promenada mall in Bucharest. A further two stores are planned for 2014 in key locations in the city.
“This acquisition is an opportunity for Hili Ventures to continue to pursue its strategy to partner major global brands,” Hili Ventures chairman Melo Hili said. “Through the Apple Premium Reseller stores, we continue to internationalise and grow across countries and markets.
“Hili Salomone Ltd will benefit from the international experience and expertise Hili Ventures has in operating and managing multi-site businesses, coupled with the brand knowledge brought by VJ Salomone.”
VJ Salomone group director Antoine Galea Salomone said: “By pooling our resources with Hili Company we have been able to leverage our excellent relationship with Apple, spanning over 30 years, to expand internationally in markets which offer exciting prospects.”
Hili Salomone Ltd is part of Hili Company Ltd, an internationally-focused, multi-disciplinary group incorporating a range of capabilities, including logistics, IT and engineering.
Hili Company’s anchor companies include Carmelo Caruana Co Ltd, Motherwell Bridge Ltd, and Philip Toledo Ltd in Malta, and Baltic Freight Services, Baltic Trucking Services Ltd and Prime Logistics in the Baltics.
Hili Company is the operations division of Hili Ventures Ltd which is headquartered in Marsa, Malta.
Hili Ventures Ltd has two other divisions – Hili Properties Limited, a portfolio of commercial and residential assets in Malta and around Europe, and Premier Capital plc, the developmental franchisee for McDonald’s in Estonia, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, and Malta, operating 59 restaurants.
VJ Salomone is a holding company that incorporates VJ Salomone Consumer Lines, VJ Salomone Marketing, VJ Salomone Pharma, Pharmasal, and SG Solutions. SG Solutions operates iCentre, the only totally focused ‘one-stop store’ concept for Apple in Malta, and the only Apple Premium Reseller and Apple Authorised Service Provider on the island.
VJ Salomone’s core operation is importation and distribution, with a portfolio ranging from fast-moving consumer goods, healthcare, cosmetics and fragrances, to information technology.
It represents global brands including Pampers, Ariel, Always, Pantene, Pringles, Oral-B, Duracell, Head & Shoulders, Gillette, Nivea, and Thermos.