Our Story

Since the age of 16, Group Founder James Barbara dreamt of growing a business that would one day make a difference in people’s lives. Today his interests span a wide portfolio of businesses which employ more than 2000 people and provide services and products to hundreds of thousands of customers every year.

From its humble beginnings as a confectionery the Group today operates in different sectors including manufacturing, retail, trading, outside catering, research & development, inflight catering, healthcare catering, institutional management and healthcare services.

Over the years the Group has continuously invested to improve both its infrastructure and its product offering and today it has reached a level which allows it to compete for international business.  Quality plays a very important part in what it does and the Group abides by strict industry regulations and international certification standards.

Today, JCL Holdings, from which The Food Factory emerged, has set a standard of excellence and creativity that has significantly attracted awareness in Maltese gastronomic culture abroad. The group continuously adjusts its business to meet clients varying diets, tastes and culinary desires. Together with a team of professional specialists, the Group guarantees the highest industrial catering standards and related services. The Group’s capabilities include:

• Modern and state-of-the-art development and manufacturing facilities.
• Manufacturing of high-quality products through state-of-the-art equipment and optimised production processes.
• Operating within the B2B sphere with its main clients being large retailers, distributors, catering companies, healthcare facilities, geriatric institutions, hotel operators, catering establishments and contract caterers.
• Operator of an outside catering private labelling business.

The Group continues to invest and plan its growth by involving itself in expansion projects and aims at continuing to increase both its product offering as well as services within the food manufacturing and catering industry.  It is only through continuous growth and development that the Company will manage to achieve its ambitious goals and objectives.