To be a centre of excellence; the leading food processor in Malta and a recognized important operator in the food industry world-wide.
To excel in the production and provision of foodstuffs and to build up a lasting relationship with local and worldwide customers and suppliers, while upholding the family tradition of honesty and integrity; be a caring employer, offer value to our shareholders and achieve this for the benefit of the community at large.
We Love Food
We Embrace Traditions and Innovate to Add Convenience
We Believe in Quality & Healthy Offerings
We’re big on our commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility
Magro Brothers Group of Companies is a private, family-owned organisation. It finds its roots in 1916 when three Magro brothers joined their father`s business as general provisions merchants.
In 1934 they ventured in the processing and canning of fresh tomatoes and subsequently branched into a number of other business activities including the importation into Malta of livestock, fodder and foodstuffs and exports of local agricultural produce.
In 1977, John and Michael Magro, the sons of one of the first partners, took over the running of the business and further expanded their activities to include tinplate can manufacture, food distribution, retailing, advertising & marketing, property development.
In 1995, the company moved to a purposely built factory with a covered area of 27,000 square metres which today has become a centre of excellence for food processing in the Mediterranean.
In December 2013, John and Michael, being the 3rd generation in the Magro Brothers business enterprise, transferred their shares to John’s children namely, Christian, Nicholas and Joanna. Christian was appointed C.E.O. of the Group in January 2018 while John remains chairman of the Group and Michael continues to form part of the main board of directors.
The backbone of the food sector of Magro Brothers Group of Companies is still the processing of fresh tomatoes – Magro Brothers (Foods) Ltd is the major company within the group. It is one of the few local companies which handle the whole production cycle of tomato related products, from the growing of crops to the distribution of the finished product. This also includes the production of tinplate-cans. The present production range is very diversified and includes canned tomatoes, table and pasta sauces, ketchup, mayonnaise and other condiments, thin sauces, jams and ready-to-eat jellies.
The company is also well established in several overseas markets with sales offices in UK and Ireland supplying high profile international brands. Presently the company exports some 45% of its production to 20 countries spread in four continents.
In 2004, as part of the company’s policy of diversification and living up to market expectations, Magro Brothers Group expanded their business to offer exclusive gifting and hampers of Maltese delicacies and crafts under the Savina Brand and, in 2010 they ventured also in the production of traditional Maltese cheeses and dairy products under the popular Hanini Brand.
Today, with over 100 years’ experience, Magro Brothers Group of Companies has become one of the leading enterprises in Malta and has gained the respect of the local business community and the trust of most financial and commercial organisations. The owners take pride into rigorously monitoring the crops and herds of the many Maltese and Gozitan farmers who regularly supply fresh agricultural produce and milk to their organisation. This has helped the company to achieve the well-deserved premier position in food processing in Malta.
The company is very proud of its Quality credentials and boasts a BRC Grade AA food safety certification, an Organic certification and ISO 22000. They offer brand owners a wealth of manufacturing expertise and specialize in private label. Currently they supply their products to various multinational brand owners around the world and in major retail outlets.
You may view our 100th year celebratory activities, held on the 29th of May 2016 HERE
For a short clip about the 100 years history of Magro Brothers please click HERE .
John Magro and Christian Magro interviewed by Ms Noelene Miggiani during ‘Wirt u Eredi’ TV program TVM 02.12.2020 CLICK HERE
John Magro interviewed by Mr James Aaron during ‘Profili’ TV program on Net TV 19-04-2021 CLICK HERE
OUR ACHIEVEMENTS:
1998: awarded the prestigious Award for Achievement in Industry.
1999: the companies were successfully inspected against the British Retail Consortium (BRC) Technical Standard (Foundation Level), becoming the first Maltese organization to obtain this certification.
2000 – to-date: the companies have been regularly inspected against BRC Standards at Higher Level. This was upgraded to Global Standard – Food in 2005 where they attained a Grade ‘A’ certification.
2005: inspected against BRC Global Standard – Food where they attained a Grade ‘AA+’ certification.
2000 – 2007: the companies were certified by the British Standards Institution for operating a Quality Management System which complied with the requirements of BS EN ISO 9001:2000.
2001: the prestigious Export Marketing Award – “Most Consistent Export Performer” for the year 2000.
2004: ASDA award for ‘The Best New Production Facility 2003 and the distinctive Malta Enterprise Business Award for the Industry Category.
2008: certified by Moody International Certification for operating Food Safety Management Systems complying with the requirements of BS EN ISO 22000:2005.
2015: The Irish Quality Food Awards bestowed the Highly Commended Gold Award for their “Signature Taste Ketchup” – this Ketchup is made following a time-honoured family recipe and contains 12 hand-picked, sun ripened tomatoes in aged Italian wine vinegar and further enhanced with selected Mediterranean spices and Sicilian lemon juice.
2017: award at the Gulfood Innovation Awards in Dubai for “Pinto’s Pride Spoon Stock” as Best Condiment. Gulfood is the world’s largest annual food and beverage exhibition, welcoming professionals from all over of the globe to meet for five days of business. Over 4,000 exhibitors took part that year.
2018: Certified by NSF Certification UK Ltd on the BRC Global Standard for Food Safety with the requirements of Issue 7: July 2015, Grade achieved AA+ (unannounced audit October 2018).
2019: Certified by NSF Certification UK Ltd on the BRC Global Standard for Food Safety with the requirements of Issue 8: August 2018, Grade achieved AA+ (unannounced audit October 2019).
2020: Certificate extension due to Covid-19
Certified by NSF Certification LLC on the BRC Global Standard for Food Safety with the requirements of Issue 8: February 2018, Grade achieved AA+ (remote announced audit November 2020). Such remote arrangement was setup due to the COVID pandemic restrictions.
Certified by QMSCERT Ltd for operating Food Safety Management System that is in conformance with the principles of HACCP and the Food Management System Standard EN ISO 22000:2005 (remote announced audit November 2020).
2021: Due to the global continuation of the Covid pandemic, the Company underwent 2 voluntary audits to re-affirm its position and conformity with the international suppliers.
Certified by QMSCERT Ltd on the BRC Global Standard for Food Safety with the requirements of Issue 8: February 2019, Grade achieved AA (remote announced audit May 2021).
Certified by QMSCERT Ltd for operating Food Safety Management System complying with the requirements of the International Standard EN ISO 22000:2018 (remote announced audit May 2021).
Certified by QMSCERT Ltd on the BRC Global Standard for Food Safety with the requirements of Issue 8: February 2019, Grade achieved AA+ (unannounced audit October 2021).
Certified by QMSCERT Ltd for operating Food Safety Management System complying with the requirements of the International Standard EN ISO 22000:2018 (unannounced audit October 2021).
2022: Certified by QMSCERT Ltd on the BRC Global Standard for Food Safety with the requirements of Issue 8: February 2019, Grade achieved AA+ (unannounced audit December 2022) and for operating Food Safety Management System complying with the requirements of the International Standard EN ISO 22000:2018 (unannounced audit December 2022).
2023: Certified by QMSCERT Ltd on the BRC Global Standard for Food Safety with the requirements of Issue 9: August 2022, Grade achieved AA+ (unannounced audit November 2023) and for operating Food Safety Management System complying with the requirements of the International Standard EN ISO 22000:2018 (unannounced audit November 2023).
Going Green!
For over 100 years Magro Brothers have been crafting food with great care, passion and love. They have nurtured a real respect for tradition – honouring the wisdom of age-old techniques in growing vegetables, following the cycle of the seasons wherever possible. Presently the company buys agricultural produce from over 120 Maltese and Gozitan farmers and some 25 herdsmen.
Over the decades we have developed intense and supportive relationships with farmers, investing together in quality and sustainability. Together we have worked to reduce the use of pesticides, preferring instead a more organic approach to farming wherever possible. We have embarked on an awareness campaign among our farmers to use less fertilizers and have a subsidy scheme for the use of moth traps to replace certain artificial pesticides. Presently, we have embarked on a program to help our farmers make necessary adjustments to adapt to the effects of the climate changes.
Through generations’ worth of expertise and resources, together with a supportive farming community we aim to ensure that future generations will continue to share in nature’s endless bounty.
Helping to make a difference…
In our continuous efforts to manage environmental risks and liabilities, we strive to set realistic targets that work and measure our progress both internally and externally by constant supervision.
We strongly believe that Going Green is beneficial for both our business and the end consumer. As part of our everyday work we want to create positive forces that bring real benefits to the society at large. To this end, we keep our customers and their needs in mind at all times, whilst staying focused on what is achievable.
The following are on-going projects that are being closely monitored in our plant:
Photovoltaic system:
Installation of a grid-connected 365kWp photovoltaic system. This generates approximately 620,100 KWh electricity per annum. As a result of this installation which is made up of 1460 panels over an area of 3,500 square metres, the company avoids over 500,000kg of carbon dioxide emissions annually. This represents approximately 40% of the power needed for the entire factory complex.
Magro Brothers employ a diverse workforce with over 150 direct employees in more than 15 different activities and skills and generate additional work to another 180 companies and individuals in outsourced activities such as growers, herdsmen, transport operators, distributors, printing, advertising, etc.
“We respect and support our people, knowing they will respond by respecting and supporting our priorities” says John Magro, chairman of the Magro Brothers Group. The enterprise is nowadays managed by highly qualified professionals and the organization has a strong work ethic program that includes equal opportunities for the sexes; zero tolerance for all types of abuses, and full compliance with all Maltese, European and UK employment regulations. As part of their Food Safety and Quality Policy they endeavor to create a culture within the organization which encourages employees to seek continuous improvement in their careers. These initiatives reflect the high standing, world class reputation enjoyed by Magro Brothers enterprise.
Over time we have worked to create an innovative, flexible, fun and challenging culture where employees feel welcomed, recognized, included, rewarded, developed and inspired.
We do this by:
Employees feel most valued when they are fully informed, understand the company’s business goals and plans, and are invited to offer their feedback on a regular basis.
Health and wellness are two words that mean the world to Magro Brothers.
Nourishing our consumers begins with our wholesome portfolio. That is why we have dedicated ourselves to provide consumers with nutritious, high-quality and great- tasting food for several decades.
Our goal is to make healthier products affordable for all clients. Today, more consumers are opting for healthier lifestyles and are looking for food to help them achieve their goals. Our products include healthy options without sacrificing the taste of the traditional version. We continue to add wellness to our product lines by reducing the levels of sugars, sodium and saturated fats, lactose free and gluten free products wherever possible. Our packaging also reflects our commitment, to researching and developing new healthy products, with most of our lines displaying the Nutrition Information and GDA (Guideline Daily Amounts) with complete transparency and beyond statutory regulations.
At Magro Brothers we are proud of our long-standing commitment to the communities where we live and work. Our policies and guidelines ensure that we always act responsibly when it comes to health and nutrition.
Although Magro Brothers do not own agricultural land or operate commercial farming activities, we work very closely with our tomato producers association and our herdsmen to encourage sustainable farming while improving the living standards of the people who farm the land. Improving the lives of farmers requires effort and commitment from everyone involved in the whole chain of the production process.
We are constantly looking to add to our practices, water and energy conservation programs, improve air quality and reduce our impact on the environment.
In a conference on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Malta Standards Authority, John Magro, Chairman and Managing Director of the Magro Group of Companies was one of the main speakers.
He delivered a presentation entitled “Magro Brothers & Corporate Social Responsibility – a necessity in a small island community”, John Magro gave an insight on how Magro Brothers successfully managed to integrate CSR into their business strategy.
During this seminar, Magro Brothers were also presented with an EU certificate to process organic products. This is considered by the management of Magro Brothers as another important milestone in the company’s efforts to offer clients new products and improved facilities.