The Food Factory

The Food Factory is the largest and most modern industrial catering facility in Malta. Built on Bulebel Industrial Estate in Żejtun, it is the central production unit of James Caterers Ltd, which owns the Food Factory brand and runs the plant, a business that began as one man's home kitchen and now feeds hospitals, airlines, hotels, schools and retailers on the islands. Most of its work is business-to-business, but it also caters weddings, charity functions and private dining, which is why it appears in our directory of catering companies in Malta.

For UK readers, the best way to think about it is as a food manufacturer and contract caterer with an events arm. You are more likely to meet its meals on a plane, in a hotel or at a corporate function than at a shopfront.

From a home kitchen to a large production site

The story starts in 1989, when James Barbara began making and distributing delicacies from his own home. A first catering production unit followed in 1991, and in the 1990s the business made its first major contact with airlines through subcontracting and then expanded its production unit. Contracts in healthcare catering and national airline catering arrived in the mid-2000s, another production expansion followed in 2009, and in 2013 the group entered healthcare services.

The Food Factory itself launched in 2017 as the natural development of the original James Caterers business. In 2020 the group began operations at the public-private partnership hospital at Saint Vincent de Paule, and in 2021 a sister company, Navigare Supplies, became its distribution and export arm. The wider group has interests in manufacturing, trading, retail, outside catering, in-flight catering, healthcare catering and institutional management, under the chairmanship of James Barbara. Since the age of 16 he had wanted to build a business that would make a difference in people's lives, and the group now provides services and products to hundreds of thousands of customers every year.

The company's own words for its approach are excellence, innovation, consistency and efficiency, with a commitment to the finest ingredients and good value for money. The group's other named businesses include Malta Healthcare Caterers, HealthMark, KORE Air and the St Vincent de Paul operation, which shows how far it reaches beyond the kitchen into healthcare, in-flight catering and institutional management.

What is inside the facility

The site covers more than 35,000 square metres and brings several independent production operations under one roof. These include a dedicated healthcare catering unit, an industrial kitchen for non-healthcare food, a high-volume area for pastry, bakery and ready-made meals, and specialised kitchens for all dietary requirements, including Halal meals. The premises also hold a research and development facility, a testing laboratory and an academy, and the warehouse has space for 500 dry and 500 frozen pallets.

The building is designed to save energy, with 2,000 photovoltaic panels, heat recovery ventilation, inverter-driven pumps, gravity drainage, thermal insulation and fewer night shifts to make better use of daylight. The company has won eight local sustainability awards for these efforts.

Quality systems are built on HACCP principles and conform to ISO 22000:2018, FSSC 22000, IFS version 8 and BRC version 9. The site is certified as a Grade A establishment, and part of the plant holds local Halal certification.

Products and weekly capacity

Production methods include cook and serve, cook and chill and cook and freeze, along with bakery items and pastries. A product selection lists weekly capacity for pies at 80 tons, ready-made meals at 100 tons, frozen desserts at 20 tons, cookies and filled muffins at 20 tons, cheesecakes and cakes at 40 tons, filled pasta dumplings and ravioli at 80 tons, and premium bars and mini cakes at 40 tons. There is also a plant-based range, pizza and frozen yoghurt.

The group's brands include Waistnot, a portioned, low-calorie ready-meal range with a vegan line, Jamesbury's, Navigare and Malta Healthcare Caterers. Because it has its own research, development and manufacturing functions, it also offers clients the chance to develop products under their own label and scale up as orders grow.

Who it works with

Main clients include airlines, hospitals, hotels, nursing homes, schools, elderly people living in the community, correctional centres, and retail and catering establishments. The group also runs satellite kitchens at Gozo General Hospital and Saint Vincent de Paule Hospital, so patients on the islands may be eating food prepared by it. Its work in healthcare is mainly through Malta Healthcare Caterers.

Visitors to Malta will meet this kind of kitchen indirectly, perhaps on a flight, in a hotel breakfast room or at a hospital or care home visit. If you are a UK business looking at supply contracts, or simply curious, the facility is a good example of how large Malta's food sector has become. Whatever your trip involves, the Malta holidays guide and flights to Malta pages cover arrival from the UK, while the Blue Grotto and Ħaġar Qim temples are close to the south of the island where the facility stands.

Events, weddings and corporate catering

Besides industrial supply, the business caters corporate events, charity functions, weddings and home and private dining experiences. A dedicated team handles event planning and coordination, and the team puts effort into curated, memorable events. If you need production, décor or entertainment alongside food, an event planner such as 242.group can work with a caterer.

Because the site is a large production unit rather than a venue, ask what is available for your date and numbers when you enquire. The Three Cities guide is useful if you are planning an event near the south-east harbours, and the Malta weather guide helps with timing.

Purpose, strategy and export reach

The group states its aims plainly: world-class businesses and brands, the best value for clients, inspired employees, a sustainable return for shareholders and leadership in each sector it works in. Its vision is to strengthen its position in Malta and become a major international player in developing, making and selling food products and food service.

It describes a value chain in which research and development, a broad product portfolio, strong manufacturing, and sales and distribution are all aligned. The sales team covers the web, retail, wholesale and international channels, with both own-brand and private-label goods. Malta's position in the middle of the Mediterranean, close to mainland Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, and its air and port links, make it a logical hub for that export work, and the Waistnot range has been announced as available in several countries.

The food safety promise rests on four objectives: transparency, long-term vision, quality and teamwork. In 2024 the group announced plans to invest a further €15 million in its production facility, and its stated approach is to be a supplier that large retailers, distributors, caterers, healthcare facilities and hotel operators can rely on for consistent quality.

Awards, recognition and how to get in touch

James Caterers Limited won two awards at the Malta Food Management Industry Awards in 2025 and three in 2026, and holds BRC Food Safety version 9 and FSSC 22000 certification. The prime minister has also visited the group, commending its role in creating jobs, and its academy is intended to become an international centre of excellence in gastronomy.

Our about Malta page gives background on the islands if you are researching a supply or investment link. To start a conversation about supply, private label work or catering for an event, use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message to The Food Factory.