Horizon brand is born as Salvo Grima Group-led partnership awarded Algiers International Airport duty-free concession

ALGERIA. Malta-based Salvo Grima Group, together with local partners, has been awarded the anchor retail concession at Algiers International Airport (Houari Boumediene International) after an open tender in 2024.

The company will launch 2,000sqm of prime airside space on a phased basis starting in Q2. It will offer core duty-free items, fashion, jewellery and lifestyle brands, operating under the newly created Horizon brand.

Algiers International Airport served approximately 3.5 million international departing passengers in 2024 out of total traffic (including domestic) of around 10 million.

Horizon will now serve as the main umbrella branding 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 continue to consolidate its long-term partnership with fellow family-led business Gebr. Heinemann, a company which dates back to 1879, which will be the lead supplier for the operation.

Gebr. Heinemann is also assisting with the design and fit-out of the shop, ensuring that the operations reach world-class standards.

Expansion in North Africa

Algiers International Airport is not the only recent tender success for Salvo Grima. Under the leadership of CEO Karl Aquilina, the company has been operating travel retail and duty-free outlets in several Mediterranean and North African locations.

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 in Algeria and supplying existing concessions in Constantine (Mohamed Boudiaf International) and Sétif International airports.

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

Salvo Grima Group’s strategic vision for travel retail

“The launch of Horizon at Algiers marks a significant milestone in our group’s expansion strategy,” said Dermon Gatt, General Manager for Salvo Grima Group’s travel retail operations.

“We are excited to introduce a world-class retail experience that blends global brands with a local touch, offering travellers a premium and seamless duty-free shopping environment.

“Our partnership with Gebr. Heinemann, as well as our local partners’ in-depth knowledge of Algeria, strengthen our commitment to delivering excellence, and we look forward to contributing to Algeria’s growing tourism and aviation sector.”

Algeria’s burgeoning tourism sector

Algiers International Airport opened a new terminal in 2019 as part of the government’s strategy to establish the hub as a gateway to Europe, while driving tourism to Africa’s largest country.

Algeria boasts a rich cultural heritage, including renowned Roman and Islamic sites, white sand beaches, mountains and Saharan landscapes.

Algeria receives some 2.4 million visitors annually. However, National Tourism Office General Director Saliha Nacerbay told the International Tourism and Travel Fair, hosted in Algiers in early 2024, of plans to attract 12 million visitors by 2030.

A rich company history

Salvo Grima Group, a sixth-generation family company, is likely the oldest player in duty free (Weitnauer, part of which now forms Dufry, was founded in 1865 and Gebr. Heinemann, as mentioned, in 1879).

Its founder, Maltese businessman Salvatore Grima (pictured right), acquired British ship chandling firm McDowall & Co. in 1860 after working there for several years and created Salvo Grima & Sons based in Valletta’s Grand Harbour.

In 1984 the group entered the pure retail side of the business when it opened Malta’s first duty-free outlet at Valletta Grand Harbour, providing a range of tobaccos, spirits, perfumes, skincare, cosmetics and electronics.

In 1992, Salvo Grima opened its first airport store, a skincare and other beauty products shop at Malta International Airport.

In 2001, Salvo Grima opened at Tripoli International Airport in Libya in a four-way alliance with Maltese, German (Gebr. Heinemann) and Libyan partners.

Expansion in the channel continued in 2014 as Salvo Grima launched four duty-free shops in the Palma De Mallorca cruise terminals, serving around 1.4 million travellers annually. It was also awarded the duty-free travel retail concession at Limassol International Cruise Port in 2019.

Beyond duty-free and travel retail, Salvo Grima Group operates a robust and growing domestic distribution business at home and abroad, including in Rwanda and Libya, serving the interests of a wide array of brand principles, including BAT, Unilever, Mars Wrigley and many others.