Instant, hassle-free reservations

Through the Bookia widget now available on restaurantsmalta.com, diners are able to book a table directly from the website, for select restaurants, without having to make a call, wait for confirmation, or switch between apps. Bookings are affected in real time, with diners receiving instant confirmation via email and SMS.

“We’re thrilled to announce our partnership with restaurantsmalta.com. As Malta’s fastest growing restaurant reservation app, it is fitting to be partnering up with Malta’s oldest and most established entity within the restaurant space,” Jonathan Azzopardi Frantz, CEO of Bookia commented.

Through the restaurantsmalta.com website, diners can access the top 150 rated restaurants, as determined in their survey held in September each year. Each restaurant listing includes a description, location map, and the ratings as submitted by diners. Now through this partnership, any of these restaurants that are also listed on Bookia, have a “Book Now” button added to their page listing on restaurantsmalta.com, for diners to make an instant reservation. This helps improve the restaurant’s visibility, reach and ultimately increases its sales.

To-date there are over 40 restaurants on restaurantsmalta.com offering the “Book Now” button functionality. By making an online reservation using the Bookia widget, diners can also enjoy on-the-day automatic reminders and cancellations free of charge.

“The Definitive(ly) Good Guide are delighted to be partnering with Bookia. This collaboration further demonstrates our commitment to continually improving the user experience on our platform by adapting to the latest digital trends.”

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The post included a photo stating that the chain has closed all restaurants in Malta.

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For hotels, he said that occupancy levels are expected to reach around 85% of what they were in 2018/19.

In less than a week’s time Christmas will be upon us, and it will be the first time since Covid-19 struck that Christmas can be celebrated without any restrictions.

Last year there was an explosion in Covid cases driven by the rise of the Omicron variant and restrictions for gatherings and the mandatory wearing of masks were still in place.

When Zahra was asked how the catering and hospitality industry is performing during its first Christmas without Covid-19 restrictions, he said that all hotels and restaurants are performing well and everything is “back to normal” with the hopes that this season will be successful as well.

“All the restrictions that there were this time last year, regarding restaurants and hotels, have stopped. There are no restrictions. If you want to host an event you can do so without any restrictions.”

Asked whether the war in Ukraine was having an impact on the industry, he said that the cost of essentials has been rising. “This is a substantial part of your cost which is increasing. Let’s assume that the food cost is 35/40% of total expenses, if this goes up by 10%, then your cost is going to increase,” he said.

He added that this will either be absorbed from the profit margin or prices will have to rise. “The reality is that most people try not to increase, and if they increase they will raise the least amount from the extra cost,” he said.

He also said that a shortage of staff is also a problem, however added that this is a global issue.

The post Business for restaurants during Christmas expected to reach pre-Covid levels – Tony Zahra first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

Corinthia Palace has announced its exciting collaboration with Ta’ Betta Wine Estates to present a luxury culinary and wine experience.

The one-off event, held on 1 July, will feature a seven-course tasting menu, prepared by the award-winning Corinthia Palace culinary brigade and led by Executive Chef Stefan Hogan. Complementing the mouth-watering cuisine will be a selection of carefully curated fine wines from Ta’ Betta Wine Estates.

“We will present a collection of our signature dishes with innovations that make the most of the naturally vibrant flavours of our Mediterranean produce,” explains Chef Hogan, who leads the award-winning culinary team at Corinthia Palace.

The event’s menu is set to include delicious courses such as heritage grain sourdough with Ta’ Betta olive oil; quail served with pomegranate, compressed melon and burnt fig leaf oil; and lamb rump ‘Navarin’ with Ta’ Betta dry vine smoked glazed lamb ribs, served with aubergine and lamb jus.

Each course will be enhanced by Ta’ Betta fine wines, including vintages of the oak-fermented Chardonnay Jean Parisot Malta DOK Superior, the Antonio Manoel Malta DOK Superior 2017, which is an opulent red blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, and an exquisite Syrah rosé, the Isabella Guasconi Malta DOK Superior 2020.

Ta’ Betta Wine Estates was founded by Astrid and Juanito Camilleri in 2002, becoming renowned over nearly two decades for making fine wines with personality and aging potential at the four-hectare Malta estate in Girgenti, limits of Siġġiewi.

‘I am delighted Ta’ Betta Wine Estates has been collaborating with Executive Chef Stefan Hogan at the Corinthia Palace to pair some of our wines to a delightful repertoire of gastronomic dishes we hope to share with our patrons,” says Prof. Camilleri. “We trust this will be an occasion to celebrate our terroir through our tastebuds in a beautiful and relaxed setting.”

“Ta’ Betta Wine Estates is driven by a passion for quality and excellence that is shared by us at the Corinthia, so this unique event is the ideal opportunity to bring them together and create something new for our discerning clientele,” says General Manager Adrian Attard. “We look forward to safely welcoming guests to a culinary experience that will blend the talents of Chef Hogan and his team and the glorious vintages of Ta’ Betta, all served within the five-star setting of Corinthia Palace.”

Booking for the event, which will be held on 1 July at Corinthia Palace in Attard, is now open and tables are limited. To reserve your table, please email events.palace@corinthia.com or call on 2144 0301.

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Originally from Libya, Ammar Soltan came to Malta when he was 19. He worked in various sectors with a desire to find himself until he saw the challenge to start a business centred around healthy eating. Here is when Eeetwell was born – the first store opened in 2015 in Paceville and has since expanded to 14 outlets with one in Belgium.

Soltan describes Eeetwell as “Your healthy choice”, and by making the brand highly accessible and affordable across the islands, it is now indeed a choice for us all when grabbing a quick, healthy take away. It’s clear that the passion he has for natural local good food is at the heart of the popular brand.

One of the secrets behind his menu is that Eeetwell offers seasonal menus without any additives.

“One of our core values is supporting local producers. We do this by sourcing at least 30% of our products from local suppliers and hiring as many local employees as possible. We try to get as much as we can out of the island.”

The young entrepreneur believes that every brand must try to create the change itself. “We have this mission, so we are expanding it far – we’ve opened a store in Belgium and will soon open in Dubai, Spain and Italy. I believe every brand must become the change they want to see… and we are applying it across all of the stores”.

What is the recipe behind Soltan’s success? Launching in 2015, Soltan’s immense success with the brand didn’t happen overnight; he explains overcoming barriers by a shift in focus,

“In the initial stages, it was difficult to pick up momentum. However, things gradually began to improve. We shifted our focus towards high-quality food and the customers; from that point onwards, we saw our growth rocket at a phenomenal pace.

In the beginning, we also faced challenges in shifting public perceptions of healthy food. Snack foods such as pastizzi are very ingrained in the Maltese culture. Some people told us, ‘you think we’re sheep, eating greens?’. But we make sure to respect all cultures and opinions, from vegans to meat lovers, and cater for all requirements.”

Soltan explains that the achievements behind the brand boils down to his staff, “Ultimately any company is about people, and at Eeetwell I strongly believe in investing in their training and education. Our staff genuinely believe in our mission to create change and the importance of healthy eating. Building a positive work environment for everyone from the kitchen to front of house is essential. We also work hard to encourage sustainability and promote the awareness of this by using compostable and eco-friendly materials within our packaging.”

Did the pandemic quell Soltan’s success? “Across the pandemic, we grew our delivery services. In fact, over the last year, we opened five new stores. I believe Covid has made us increasingly aware of our health and the importance of staying healthy.  We worked hard on our digital presence by spreading messages of positivity throughout our social media platforms. Being consistent was paramount to us, from our posts to our branding.

Many of our customers are return customers who love some of our menu classics, such as the Patong beef and Punjabi chicken. Sometimes we change the menu due to seasonality – and customers always ask for these dishes to return!”

Asked which business moguls does he look up to, Soltan did not hesitate, “Steve Jobs. His company doesn’t think only about money but tries to be as sustainable as possible. I think we can learn a lot from other business people’s mistakes, so we don’t make them, in fact, my favourite film is The Founder, about the creation of McDonald’s.”

The post ‘Leading with purpose: how eeetwell is cultivating culture around healthy food’ first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

In addition, five more restaurants received a Michelin Plate this year. Ace would like to give massive congratulations to the five new restaurants which own a plate joining a total of 31 restaurants, which have been awarded in the Michelin Guide for Malta and Gozo. 

It has been 95 years since the first Michelin Guide was published. The Guide has become much more prestigious since the first edition, but the principle has remained – unnamed inspectors visit establishments unannounced to check on the quality of the food. There are multiple tiers in the Guide, including the most distinguished one to three Michelin stars, the Bib Gourmand for restaurants that serve quality food that is worth its price and finally the Michelin Plate, which is awarded to restaurants where the inspectors discover quality food.

Well done to each and every establishment for the incredible accomplishment and for elevating the industry reputation, and the country in terms of quality establishments. Ace believes that the catering establishments industry is one of the most important sectors in the Malta Tourism package. It is important that the country continues to invest in quality service and product. The achievement of these restaurants once again shows the dedication and hard work of entrepreneurs in the restaurant business and their employees. Ace encourages more members to invest in higher quality and improved service to continue offering their clients the best experience at their establishment.

The full list includes: De Mondion, Mdina – Michelin Star; Lord Nelson, Mosta; Bahia, Lija – Michelin Star; The Golden Fork, Attard; The Medina, Mdina; Root 81, Rabat; Susurrus, St Julian’s; Caviar & Bull, St Julian’s; Kuya, St Julian’s; Barracuda, St Julian’s; Briju, Gzira; Commando, Mellieha – Bib Gourmand; Ion – The Harbour – Michelin Star; Rampila, Valletta; Guze Bistro, Valletta; Capo Crudo, Valletta; Rubino, Valletta – Bib Gourmand; The Harbour Club, Valletta; Aaron’s Kitchen, Valletta; Under Grain, Valletta – Michelin Star; 59 Republic, Valletta; Noni, Valletta – Michelin Star; Hammett’s Macina, Senglea; Tartarun, Marsaxlokk; Terrone – Bib Gourmand; Tmun, Mgarr; Ta’ Frenc, Xaghra; The Chophouse, Sliema; The Fork and Cork, Rabat; Mezzodi, Valletta and Fernandõ Gastrotheque, Sliema.

The post Ace congratulates restaurants in their Michelin achievement first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

And so, comes about Bukkun, Malta’s first ever children’s food company, whose aim is to support parents with “the chaos that is mealtime”. This small local business is the brainchild of Erika Vella and Julia Anastasi, who “have long dreamt of combining their love for children with their passion for food.” Bukkun, they expand, is “the result of putting their creative minds to use and starting something they could call their own. Being so lucky to live on an island with incredible local produce at one’s fingertips; reared meat, fresh caught fish, and a variety of fruit and vegetables, Bukkun’s mission encompasses many of their personal lifestyle choices, adapted to the needs and requirements of children.” Together with their nutritionist, Sara Borg, they curate “delicious and wholesome goodness which all kids, from picky-eaters to everything-eaters, will love.”

The food is delivered fresh to families’ homes, and soon, Bukkun’s upcoming Daily Fresh service will allow parents to have the food delivered to their child’s school or nursery. The duo is also excited to announce the launch of their new website, bukkun.com.mt, which will not only allow parents to place their orders, but also give them access to educational content, about how we can nourish our bodies and minds with access to the right resources.

Ever since Erika and Julia met 4 years ago, the two have been inseparable. Already having the “entrepreneurial bug” within them, the two started developing their ‘Bukkun’ concept when the pandemic hit, finally having found some free time. Realising that there was not much of a market for fresh and homemade food for children, Erika and Julia got to work. “We both knew that it was now or never!”

The duo’s passion and motivation for their business is fuelled by the support and encouragement they receive from their customers, making them realise they are a great support system to parents, by “acting as an extension to them in the kitchen – and it is the best feeling!” Seeing their hard work pay off is to them a moment of pride, and this is one of their favourite things about being business owners. Not only this, but by planning and executing ideas, Bukkun has become a great creative outlet, keeping them inspired and excited to work.

Speaking about their experience as entrepreneurs in Malta, Erika and Julia gratefully admit that in spite of the challenges they’ve faced, they have found great support from their suppliers, and recently from SHE, a community of empowered female entrepreneurs. Through the challenges endured, they have learned to remain persistent and to adapt to the circumstances brought by the pandemic, in turn making them more resilient. And to aspiring entrepreneurs, the two leave us off with some advice: “Believe in yourself and your product, and take every challenge as a learning opportunity. This is the key to success!”

The post A delicious Bukkun: All you need to know about Malta’s first children’s food company first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

“We watched what was happening around us closely, and three days before the announcement of restaurant closures, we completely shifted our business model to prepare for a take-out eventuality.”

Speaking to the Malta Business Weekly, Alex Aquilina the owner of Shakinah restaurants, explained as a family business the utmost creativity they had to adopt since the onset of Covid-19 to stay operating.

Shakinah was already one of the first eateries in Malta to make use of logistic delivery services such as Bolt, before the Covid-19 lockdown in March. “We expanded with additional delivery services; these partnerships were truly pivotal to our survival. We went from 12% take out services to 100%”.  Alongside his wife, Alberta Aquilina Manche, the pair strived to keep all staff employed. “It was important for us to retain the relationships we have developed with our team. We didn’t want to be in a situation where the restaurant re-opened, and have to train new staff, or the customers wouldn’t recognise a familiar face serving them. We were able to make use of Covid-19 Government schemes which were also a lifeline to us”. 

Speaking about other ways to remain afloat given the challenging climate, both of the couple’s sons have played an integral role in pushing the business forward. “Both Matthew and Nicky are very forward-thinking; they invest a certain level of energy that connects with younger generations. I can honestly say as a family business, we work together and respect one another very well. The boys focused a lot on digital mediums and campaigns. One initiative where we saw great success, we the introduction of a 5 euros voucher to be redeemed within the restaurant with every 50 euros spent on a takeaway. This was an incentive for those customers who were spending almost that amount and a great way to reward our customers. We printed 800 of these vouchers, and within ten weeks they were gone. Now we have re-opened we have started seeing those vouchers come back to us, with people spending in the restaurants. Moving forward, take-out is still a huge part of our business model, and I strongly believe dining culture is changing, and we will remain operating at 50% take out for the foreseeable future.”

The Malta Business Weekly also spoke to Chris Sant, Executive manager of another popular family retailer, JB Stores, Sant explained, “During the weeks leading to the mandatory closure of non-essential shops we could feel the tension and worry building up among ourselves and our clients. We were preparing for something that before this year was unimaginable, JB stores after 37 years of continuous operation and all other establishments whatever their size, were forced to close”.

“We knew there would still be a demand for household products locally, especially since nearly the entire population were now confined to their homes. We finished an e-commerce website that we had been preparing slowly a few months before and assigned key staff to maintain it and other forms of which our customers could contact us such as social media messaging and telephone lines. The response from our customers was strong and intensive. As the number of staff that could stay in the shop communicating with customers and preparing their orders for delivery was minimal, it was challenging to keep up.

Sant added, “Everyone in the family had a role from communicating with customers to picking items for orders to delivering contactless. We managed to keep going with a huge thanks to the staff who gave their assistance during this period.  As restrictions where being lifted all legally required social distancing and prevention measures were implemented at all branches of JB Stores, the e-commerce website and social media communications continued to be an essential part of our operations”.

When it came to any changes in purchasing Sant noted “One interesting shift was in our clothing fabric department, as no events or social activities were allowed. Many people did not purchase fabric for dresses suits, but we saw a surge in simple cotton fabric, elastic and non-woven fabric- all for the fabrication for face masks. We also shifted our then almost idle seamstresses and tailor’s production to three-layered facemasks for the public, which proved so successful, many times we could not keep up with the demand”.

Last Week Minister Schembri stated during a family business webinar, “I urge these businesses to be bold and innovative in order to strengthen their competitiveness and enhance the skills of our workers. We want family businesses to continue to grow and flourish in such a way that they continue to be passed down from generation to generation”.

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Addressing the media after the government announced the relaxation of measures that were introduced to combat the spread Coronavirus, Farrugia Portelli made a strong pitch towards internal tourism that is needed in the next few weeks and months.

The airport for now remains closed, but from Friday there will be nothing to stop the Maltese from acting as tourists at home.

“The largest branding that Malta will have is that Malta is safe due to the way we have handled the Covid-19 situation,” she said while highlighting the fact that we are at a point where internal tourism can restart.

She explained that from today, the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) will be opening up its helpline 21692447 to a new situation; restaurants and establishments have the possibility to call if they are willing to open for service. The authority will then inspect the premises and issue Covid compliant sticker to be placed at the front of the establishment.

The Covid-19 compliant sticker is a certificate that the MTA issues to operators that ensures that they are up to hygiene standards. The authority warned that this does not mean that just because one gets the sticker they cannot keep following the rules as inspections will happen randomly.

“We will not allow anyone to abuse from our people’s health and if this protocol will not be followed, the licence will be withdrawn,” Farrugia Portelli said.

There will be formulas that establishments will have to fill in in order to ensure that they are providing a safe place to offer services to the public.

He explained that all workers have a right for a safe and healthy environment. However, they must also be able to adapt and promote safe work practices to ensure that hygiene measures are up to standard. Therefore, they must be prepared for the possibility of having Covid-19 in their establishment and be able to react efficiently.

For this to happen, the MTA has released a list of equipment and medical kit that the establishment should have, this includes germicidal disinfectant or wipes for surface cleaning, visors must be cleaned regularly, disposable gloves and protective apron, full length long sleeve gown and a bio-hazard disposable waste bag.

Staff must practice physical distancing and sanitisation as well as wear masks and/or visors

MTA CEO Johan Buttiġieġ said that these protocols are based on 3 concepts; social distancing, hygienic practices and minimising risk of Covid-19 transmission.

Different protocols were set up for different types of establishments, namely accommodation establishments, catering establishments, outdoor establishments or entertainment areas and beach establishments.

With regards to dining areas, Buttiġieġ said that any establishment with an outdoor area cannot use its inside space as indoor dining is only allowed as a concession where outdoor dining is not possible. Additionally, buffet services are not to be offered and smoking, even in outside areas, is prohibited as people must be at a 10 meter distance from any tables.

Another important note on restaurants is that no one is allowed to sit right after someone else as there needs to be proper cleaning beforehand. It is also the responsibility of the owner to not have queues outside of their establishment; Buttiġieġ suggested that one should take note of people’s phone numbers and then call them when a table is ready. He also encouraged owners to extend their serving hours but no later than 11pm.

Tables are being limited to groups of not more than 6 people or persons from the same household and tables should be arranged in a way that there is a 2 meter distance while chairs should be a meter apart.

With regards to pool areas, Buttiġieġ said that the capacity of pools has been reduced to half the amount of that found in public health legislations. No indoor pool areas or water attractions are to operate.

Sunbeds or umbrellas have to be properly disinfected before someone else can use them and should be at a 2 meter distance as well. This also applies to beaches.

Buttiġieġ assured that the amount of space for the general public is not being changed however, it has opened a call for supervisors who will be educating people on how they should occupy the beach and the MTA appealed for everyone to cooperate as they do not want to resort to fines.

Public toilets will be cleaned every hour and the use of portable toilets is prohibited.

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Premier Capital plc, the Maltese-owned Developmental Licencee for McDonald’s in six European markets, has posted a pre-tax profit of €28 million for the year ended December 31, 2019,  up from €23 million in 2018.

Last year, the group registered a 16.2% increase in turnover to realise revenue of €341 million. Thanks to its team of more than 8,800 people in 156 restaurants in Estonia, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta and Romania, Premier Capital served 131 million customers last year, 11 million more than in 2018, yet again setting a new guest count record for the group. 

All markets reported significant and even accelerated growth, with Greece registering the highest advancement on 2018 with 23.4%, followed by Romania (18.7%), Latvia (12.2%), Lithuania (10.1%), Estonia (8.2%), and Malta (7.6%). Premier Capital opened 12 new restaurants last year: seven in Romania, one in Lithuania, one in Latvia and three in Greece. Two restaurants were closed across the network. A further 32 restaurants were upgraded to accommodate McDonald’s newest service and digital platforms allowing for the roll out of table service and self-ordering kiosks, bringing the total of converted restaurants to 97. By the end of 2019, a total of 87 restaurants had deployed McDelivery.

The outlook for 2020 has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Operations have been scaled back in compliance with measures implemented by local health authorities over the past few weeks. Some restaurants  have been closed but most others continue to serve customers with an even greater focus on convenience through take away, McDrive and McDelivery. Stringent cost containment measures are in place, there is constant re-budgeting and review, and capital expenditure has largely been put on hold. At the beginning of 2020, the group had originally projected to open 12 new restaurants in 2020. This for now has been revised to five.

“The excellent results for 2019 stem from our teams outperforming their plans as they continued to pursue market-specific strategies to grow their business,” Premier Capital Chief Executive Officer Victor Tedesco said. “They allowed us to enter 2020 on a positive footing, well-positioned to rapidly take the necessary action to preserve cash, stabilise operations and protect revenues as far as possible without ever compromising the health and safety of our people and our customers. Our senior management team is keeping a close watch on every business unit from human resources to operations to supply chain, checking in with our people constantly and providing support.

“During this time, we are determined to stay close to the communities in which we operate, serving customers with good food fast and safely. Behind the scenes, we have been showing our appreciation for the dedication of frontline workers.

“While we await the beginning of recovery, we are focused on adapting to shifting consumer behavior and expectation, understanding how best to leverage resources for the benefit of the business, our people and our customers, and identifying the opportunities brought about by a whole new economy.”

The post McDonald’s licencee Premier Capital posts €28 million pre-tax profit in 2019 first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.