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Baltona

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Seamen certificate worthUS$0.20 in Baltona shops

Baltona(full:Baltona Foreign Trade Company Spółka Akcyjna,formerBaltona - zaopatrywanie statków) is a Polish company acting mainly on a duty-free market inPolandand abroad.

History

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Baltona was established on 3 September 1946, as a private company.[1]Its principal activity was supplying ships in Polish and foreign ports.

On 29 December 1949, Baltona wasnationalizedfor the symbolic price of 1Polish złoty.On 1 January 1951, the enterprise subordinated to the Polish Ministry of Foreign Trade. Its business consisted of supplying Polish ships, planes, diplomatic posts, airports, seaports, border crossings, and even scientific expeditions.[2]

In 1957, Baltona joined the International Ship Suppliers Association (ISSA) and began exchanging information amongship chandlers.[3]

In 1960, Baltona extended its operations to airport facilities by an agreement withLOT Polish Airlinesto supply company's planes with goods intended for retail sale and consumption by crews and passengers.

The company grew and became a large export-import company during the 1970s and 1980s. During the time of thePeople's Republic of Poland,it was one of the few companies offering Western goods to Polish consumers forforeign currency.At the height of its popularity during the mid-1980s, Baltona operated nearly 250 stores and had over 2,000 employees. In 1984 it was transformed into ajoint stock company(Polish:spółka akcyjnaor S.A.).

In 2013, Baltona took over Chacalli de Decke, a Belgium-based duty-free company.[4]It has since further developed operations in the food and beverages sector.

In 2020 Baltona leftWarsaw Stock Exchangeafter being acquired by the Polskie Porty Lotnicze Capital Group.[5]

References

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  1. ^"Year 1946".Baltona.Retrieved4 July2020.
  2. ^Roe, Michael (2018).Commercialisation in Central and East European Shipping.Routledge.ISBN9780429868559.Retrieved4 July2020.
  3. ^Roe, Michael (2018).Polish Shipping Under Communism.Routledge.ISBN9781351784597.Retrieved4 July2020.
  4. ^"Flemingo Group acquires Chacalli-De Decker diplomatic duty free".Global Marketing.1 October 2013.Retrieved4 July2020.
  5. ^"Baltona achieved a record net profit after restructuring".ceo.pl.CEO.Retrieved13 July2024.
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