With new investments of millions of euros, the historic winery ‘Malamatina’ enters its new era

Investments totaling 15 million euros for the next decade, both in mechanical equipment and fixed assets, are planned in “Malamatina SA”, the group “Mantis Group”, which on March 1 started the bottling and standardization of wines and resin with the well-known little man on the label, and is already “throwing” in the historic winery the first chapters for its passage to its new era.

These investments far exceed the ones promised by the group (approximately 9 million over a ten-year horizon, within the framework of the consolidation plan of the historic winery) and “tie” with the intention of “Mantis Group” to significantly develop the ” Malamatina “, utilizing its large distribution network throughout Greece. Already, the group is investing about 1.5 million euros in mechanical equipment for wineries to prevent the harvest, while it has already put on the market – within about a month and a half – five labels of fine wines and white and rosé resin.

The above was pointed out today, during a working lunch with journalists in Thessaloniki, by the CEO of the group Alexandros Krommidas, who also announced the goal of more than doubling the net sales of the winery in the next five years, with the prospect of reaching 20 million euros. (against 9.5 million euros in 2021) and exports to reach 25% of its turnover. In fact, the company plans to set up a subsidiary in Germany to better promote its labels in the Central European market.

For Alexandros Krommidas, the acquaintance with “Malamatina” dates back to his student years. The businessman met the “Malamatina” resin in Thessaloniki, where he studied electrical engineering at the Polytechnic, and since then he followed the course of the company and the way in which its strong and recognizable brand sold in Northern Greece.

So when five or six years ago the “Mantis Group” (which is active in the distribution of soft drinks, alcoholic beverages and consumer products, from soft drinks such as “Red Bull” to razors “Wilkinson”), decided to go into production beyond from its commercial part, “Malamatina” was in its investment sights.

“We wanted ‘Malamatina’, a product that has a strong brand” said Mr. Krommidas, who pointed out that the historic retsina will also benefit from the large distribution network of the group, which numbers thousands of points throughout Greece, in super markets and the HORECA market (hotels, restaurants, catering).

With the current capacity of the company’s facilities, it is possible to bottle 25,000 bottles per hour, as pointed out by the CEO of the company, Nikos Keranis. The company also enters the production of private label products, in collaboration initially with the supermarket chain “Market In”.

It is recalled that the new era for the “Malamatina” founded in 1895, under the umbrella of the Mantis group (whose administration is majority controlled by the brothers Alexandros and Charalambos Krommidas), began after the relevant decision of the Multi-Member Court of First Instance of Thessaloniki .

Source: AMPE