ETERNA Group has unveiled a new corporate identity bringing together established Maltese businesses in food production, catering, healthcare and community care, creating a shared platform for further investment and international growth.
The group includes James Caterers, Malta Healthcare Caterers, Healthmark, The Food Factory and Kore, alongside related companies and subsidiaries. Together, its operations employ approximately 6,600 people, prepare and supply around 48,500 meals daily, and deliver more than two million domiciliary care interventions and visits each year.
The launch brings these businesses under one recognisable identity and common strategic direction, while preserving their individual heritage. It marks a new stage in the group's development rather than a change in ownership.
In the presence of Prime Minister Robert Abela and Opposition leader Alex Borg, Chairman James Barbara said ETERNA's launch reflected both the organisation's growth and its ambitions for the future.
"ETERNA builds on more than 35 years of work by our people. We chose ETERNA because we want to build a group that will outlive us all. Each of our businesses has grown by meeting a need in people's everyday lives, whether that means preparing a meal, caring for someone at home or training the people who deliver those services. Bringing our expertise together gives us a stronger foundation to invest in our teams, improve our services and take Maltese capabilities into new markets for sustainable long-term growth," Barbara said, thanking everyone who has contributed to the group.
The group traces its origins to 1989, when Mr Barbara established James Confectionery as a small family-run business. Over more than 35 years, it has developed into a diversified organisation serving hospitals, elderly-care facilities, schools, airlines, businesses and households.
Its evolution included expansion into public healthcare catering in 2006, in-flight catering in 2007 and healthcare and social care services from 2013 onwards.
In 2025, the group acquired full ownership of its healthcare and in-flight catering operations. A successful €30 million bond issue through James B. Finance p.l.c. followed in November that year, strengthening the financial platform for its next phase of development.
ETERNA's strategy centres on three pillars: Food, Health and Innovation.
At the heart of its food operations is The Food Factory in Bulebel, a facility extending over approximately 35,000 square metres and representing an investment of more than €50 million, including its recent expansion programme.
The facility brings together specialised kitchens, bakery and pastry production, dedicated dietary production areas, research and development, testing, packaging and logistics. It supports both the local market and the manufacture of branded and private-label products for export.
The group exported 593,908 food products last year, reaching approximately 10 countries across Europe, the Middle East and Oceania. It has also invested approximately €3 million in a new 500-square-metre central production unit in Xewkija, strengthening its operational presence and resilience in Gozo.
In healthcare, Healthmark supports more than 10,000 clients across Malta and Gozo through its domiciliary care services. Investment in skills is supported by Healthmark Academy in Malta, the Ceserani Hospitality Training Centre and the group's healthcare training centre in Dubai, which had trained more than 600 nurses and carers by October 2025.
Innovation connects the group's food and healthcare activities through developments such as therapeutic and texture-modified meals for patients and elderly people, digital patient-menu ordering, integrated production-management systems and dedicated product research.
Environmental investment includes approximately 2,000 photovoltaic panels generating around 890,000 kWh of electricity annually, alongside heat-recovery, water-efficiency, waste-reduction and packaging initiatives.
The group's international presence includes its Dubai healthcare training centre and UAE catering operations, which commenced in 2025. Together with its established food exports, these activities provide a foundation for further overseas growth.