Malta-based Salvo Grima Group, together with Algerian partners, has been awarded the anchor retail concession at Algiers International Airport, ‘Houari Boumediene International’, following an open tender in 2024.

The Group will launch 2,000 square metres of prime airside space at the airport’s new West Terminal on a phased basis starting in the second quarter of this year, offering core duty-free items, fashion, jewellery and lifestyle brands, operating under the newly created Horizon branding.

Algiers International Airport served approximately 3.5 million international departing passengers in 2024 and is being positioned by the Algerian Government as an aviation hub for the North African region.

Horizon will now serve as the main customer-facing brand for all Salvo Grima Group’s travel retail operations, its name symbolising the Group’s geographical diversification strategy.

In its operations in Algeria, Salvo Grima Group will build further on its long-term collaboration with global travel retailer Gebr. Heinemann, which will be the lead supplier for the operation. Heinemann is also assisting with the design and fit-out of the store, ensuring high international standards.

Salvo Grima Group CEO Karl Aquilina

Under the leadership of Chief Executive Officer Karl Aquilina, Salvo Grima Group has been operating travel retail and duty-free outlets in several Mediterranean and North African locations for several years. “The launch of Horizon in Algiers marks a significant milestone in our Group’s on-going business development strategy,” he said.

“It is an honour for us to collaborate with prestigious Algerian travel retail partners and to work closely with the airport authorities who have invested substantially in their aviation facilities and have entrusted us with this exciting new project.”

In addition to the Algiers concession, Salvo Grima Group, in partnership with its local Algerian partners, led by Mohamed Boulhouchat, will also be operating the duty-free concession at Oran Ahmed Ben Bella Airport and supplying existing concessions in Constantine and Sétif international airports in the North of Algeria.

The Group has also been awarded the ferry terminal duty-free contract at the Port of La Goulette in Tunis, Tunisia. All these operations are set to begin in 2025.

A history of looking ahead

Salvo Grima Group is one of the oldest companies in the duty free sector as its roots date back to 1860, when its founder, Salvatore Grima, acquired a British ship chandelling firm and opened operations in Valletta’s Grand Harbour. The Group is still family-owned and management includes members of the sixth generation of the Grima family.

The Group expanded from ship supply into travel retail by opening Malta’s first duty-free outlet at Valletta Grand Harbour in 1984, opening airport retail outlets ten years later at Malta International Airport. In 2001, Salvo Grima Group launched travel retail outlets at Tripoli International Airport, Libya in partnership with Gebr. Heinemann and other investors.

Salvo Grima Group subsequently operated five duty-free retail outlets at Palma de Mallorca Cruise Port in 2014 and at DP World Limassol Cruise Port in 2019.

Apart from duty-free and travel retail, Salvo Grima Group is the official national distributor for several global manufacturers in emerging domestic markets in North and East Africa, specifically in Libya and Rwanda. These include Unilever, BAT, Mondelez International, Kimberley Clark, Danone and Mars Wrigley amongst others.

In recognition of its international focus, Salvo Grima Group was awarded first prize for Best Emerging Markets Exporter at the Malta International Business Awards organized by Trade Malta in 2024.