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7 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 29 JUNE 2025 COMMERCIAL Farsons AGM confirms food business spin-off, reports record results SIMONDS Farsons Cisk plc today held its Annual Gener- al Meeting, where shareholders were informed of a landmark year marked by record financial per- formance, the announcement of a dividend of €0.20 per share, and confirmation of the Group's stra- tegic decision to spin off its food businesses into a newly listed company, Quinco Holdings plc. Chairman Louis A. Farrugia described the past year as one of "strategic importance," highlight- ing the Board's decision to pro- ceed with the spin-off of Quin- tano Foods Limited and Food Chain Limited. Shareholders will receive shares in Quinco Holdings through a dividend in kind. "We are confident that this reorgan- isation will allow each business to pursue focused growth under distinct leadership," said Mr Far- rugia, noting the positive prece- dent set by the successful Trident Estates spin-off in 2018. Group CEO Norman Aquilina reported a record Group profit of €18.6 million, a 22% increase over the previous year, and a 5.5% revenue increase in the beverage segment. He also highlighted ro- bust growth across all beverage categories. "Despite intensifying market pressures, we continued to challenge ourselves strategical- ly, delivering solid performance and setting a clear path for future growth," Aquilina said. The period was marked by strong export growth, with rev- enues rising by over 22%, driven by robust performance in Italy and the Middle East and bolstered by new franchise partnerships in Ghana and Australia. Operation- al efficiency and service quality were enhanced through strategic investments in logistics and digital infrastructure. In the food segment, expansion of the Burger King and KFC net- works continued, alongside the rationalisation of Pizza Hut out- lets and the advancement of a ma- jor logistics centre in Handaq, set for completion in 2026. These de- velopments underpin the recent spin-off into Quinco Holdings, paving the way for targeted, scal- able growth in the food business. The Board declared a final divi- dend of €0.14 per share, bringing the full-year dividend to €0.20, re- flecting a 39% payout of post-tax profits. As Farsons approaches its cente- nary, the Group remains focused on strengthening its core opera- tions and creating long-term value for shareholders. MeDirect enhances customer offering with model portfolios launch MEDIRECT Bank Malta continues to enhance the range of investment options available to customers with the introduc- tion of its new Model Portfolios service. This innovative offering allows custom- ers to select from a range of portfolios, based on their preferred risk profile. Op- tions range from cautious to balanced and dynamic with the funds featured in each portfolio managed by renowned asset managers. The fact that customers can opt for dif- ferent portfolio options, each containing expertly managed funds, ensures cus- tomers have the freedom to select the investment that best suits their goals. This builds on MeDirect's longstanding mission, reflected in its broad range of investment and banking products, to give customers the tools and information they need to build wealth with autonomy. Global expertise MeDirect's Model Portfolios are an- alysed and managed by three globally recognised investment firms. These are Morningstar, Aegon and Liontrust. Each of these offers investors different options with Morningstar which is renowned for its independent and transparent research and analysis on over 600,000 investments providing a range of portfolios investing globally. Aegon, meanwhile has a deep expertise in life insurance, pensions, and asset management and has partnered with MeDirect to provide Model Portfolios that deliver regular income. Liontrust is a specialist fund management company established in 1995 and together with Me- Direct will provide Model Portfolios that specialise in sustainable investment strat- egies that seek long-term growth while promoting positive environmental and social impact. Accessibility and flexibility Among the many benefits of MeDirect's Model Portfolios are the accessibility and flexibility offered to customers. To select an Aegon or Liontrust Model Portfolio, an initial investment of just €100 is all that is required, to which monthly contributions can then be added. These contributions can also be as little as €100 a month. The minimum investment for a Morningstar Model Portfolio is €1,000, with optional monthly contributions also starting from €1,000. Customers will have complete freedom to change their monthly contri- butions, deposit additional funds or make withdrawals at any time without incurring any additional charges. For an initial lim- ited three-month period, MeDirect is also waiving all entry fees. Income or accumulator Investors can choose between Income and Accumulator funds, depending on their financial goals. Income funds, which are the primary focus of Aegon, aim to deliver regular payouts rather than cap- ital growth, making them ideal for those seeking a consistent income stream. In contrast, Accumulator funds reinvest earnings to support long-term wealth ac- cumulation. This flexibility ensures that investors can select the approach that best aligns with their financial objectives. Sustainability Focus For those investors who prioritise sus- tainability, Liontrust offer Model Portfo- lios with a selection of funds that focus on sustainable investments. These funds are designed to generate long-term returns while contributing positively to environ- mental and social outcomes. Choosing a Model Portfolio with a sustainability focus doesn't mean compromising on returns — these investments are still thoughtfully designed with profitability in mind, while also supporting positive environmental and social outcomes. Confidence in diversified investments With Model Portfolios, clients can diver- sify their investments by choosing from a variety of options, featuring funds that match their risk tolerance and investment goals. They can do this starting with just €100 and, until 30th September 2025, without incurring any entry fees. MeDi- rect's Model Portfolios also provide ac- cess to funds which are managed by some of the world's best experts with a strong track record in asset management, pro- viding clients with confidence in their in- vestment choices. Jean-Claude Maher, Group CEO at Me- Direct, said, "MeDirect's new Model Port- folios service represents an important step forward in empowering clients to achieve their financial goals through well-struc- tured and expertly managed investment options. Whether building wealth, seek- ing income, or prioritising sustainability, MeDirect customers now have yet an- other option to navigate their investment journey with confidence and clarity." For more information about the Model Portfolios service, visit https://www.medi- rect.com.mt/invest/model-portfolios/ Model portfolios are made up from a basket of mutual funds that are manufac- tured by multiple fund houses and distrib- uted by MeDirect Bank (Malta) plc. When investing you may lose some or all of the money you invest. The value of your investment may go down, as well as up. Any income you get from this investment may go down, as well as up. A commission or sales fee may be charged at the time of the initial purchase for an investment. Any decision to invest should always be based upon the details contained in the Prospectus and Key Information Docu- ment (KID) of the funds making up the model portfolio.