Historia.

The "Baltona" Enterprise was established on September 3, 1946, based on a partnership agreement between: Przedsiębiorstwo Portowe (Port Enterprise) and Polska Bandera (Polish Ensign) – maritime transshipments – a limited liability company. At the meeting of the General Assembly of Shareholders of "Baltona" Sp. z o.o., held on December 29, 1949, it was decided to sell the entire enterprise "Baltona" Sp. z o.o. for a symbolic zloty to the state enterprise "Baltona" – Zaopatrzenie Statków (Shipchandling).

On January 1, 1951, the state enterprise "Baltona" – Zaopatrywanie Statków (Shipchandling) was subordinated to the Minister of Foreign Trade. The headquarters of the enterprise at that time was: Gdynia – Port: Nabrzeże Francuskie (French Quay). The main subject of activity was supplying ships in Polish and foreign ports with food, industrial, hotel and catering, and technical goods from both domestic and foreign manufacturers. September 3, 1946 – establishment of the "Baltona" Enterprise.

Sale of the entire enterprise "Baltona" Sp. z o.o. for a symbolic zloty to the state enterprise "Baltona" – Zaopatrzenie Statków.

Subordination of the state enterprise "Baltona" – Zaopatrywanie Statków to the Minister of Foreign Trade.

Sale of food and industrial, hotel and catering, and technical consumer goods from both domestic and imported manufacturers.

Baltona's core activities included:

• Supplying Polish and foreign ships in seaports
• Supplying Polish and foreign ships in foreign ports through branches in those ports or via agents acting based on contracts or agreements concluded with the enterprise
• Exporting goods to free trade zones in foreign ports for local shipowners and shipchandlers
• Operating consignment warehouses with imported goods in Polish ports and with domestic and imported goods in foreign ports to sell these goods to supply Polish and foreign ships. Warehouses in, among others, Finland (A. Liljefors company), the Canary Islands (Tracosa company)

The enterprise's additional activity was:

• Sale of goods for hard currency to diplomatic missions accredited in Poland and abroad, as well as to Polish diplomatic missions abroad.

The enterprise was commissioned to supply the domestic deep-sea fishing fleet: At that time, shops for Polish sailors were organized as part of the so-called "sailor export", where entitled employees of commercial and fishing shipowners could purchase various goods at hard currency prices in exchange for so-called vouchers; this activity was closed in June 1958.

"Baltona", on its own initiative, launched hard currency sales to free trade zones in foreign ports for foreign shipowners and shipchandlers. At the end of the year, the supply of foreign diplomatic missions accredited in Poland and employees of Polish diplomatic missions abroad was initiated

Pod koniec roku zapoczątkowano zaopatrywanie obcych placówek dyplomatycznych akredytowanych w Polsce oraz pracowników polskich placówek dyplomatycznych zagranicą.

A hard currency sales stand was launched for exhibitors and fair guests at the Poznań International Fair in Poznań

Fun Fact:
Deliveries of goods to foreign ships are made based on orders placed by "Baltona" clerks as a result of their canvassing carried out on foreign ships. "Baltona" clerks receive commission-based remuneration. Deliveries of goods to Polish ships were made based on orders placed with "Baltona" by the ship's management and shipowners.

The total employment in "Baltona" as of January 1, 1963, was 515 employees, including 291 white-collar workers and 224 blue-collar workers. The company's headquarters at that time was Gdynia (French Quay).

An agreement was concluded with PLL "LOT” under which "Baltona" undertook to supply "LOT" aircraft with imported, consumed, and sold goods. In addition to its previous activities, Baltona had the right, with the consent of the Minister of Foreign Trade, to also sell to tourists at border crossings and passengers at airports and on airplanes, as well as to sailors of the merchant and fishing fleets as part of the so-called internal sailor export.

Sales were launched at the ferry border crossing in Świnoujście.

New directions of hard currency sales were launched at border crossings in Świecko and Kołbaskowo for foreign travelers arriving in Poland for tourist or commercial purposes.

It was the year of taking over the shop at the Okęcie airport from PKO Bank (hard currency sales).

"Baltona" took over the sale of goods to passengers on international passenger flights from LOT Polish Airlines.

Hard currency sales to Polish sailors (called "Internal Sailor Export") were relaunched in a network of special shops. To carry out this task, sales shops were opened in Gdynia, Gdańsk, Szczecin, and Świnoujście.

In 1973, the famous "Baltona" logo, the Sailor, was designed, and vouchers (the then means of payment) were produced, with designs created by renowned artist Barbara Kowalska.

Baltona strengthened its direct export operations to duty-free zones by utilizing the entire warehouse and transportation infrastructure intended for the ship chandlery. The procurement of goods for direct export took place concurrently with the ship chandlery’s procurement, and thus without the additional costs typically associated with such activities. For direct exports to duty-free zones, the primary form of business development was through an agency network operating under contract with Baltona, with offices in the following countries:

• Norway – J.W.Holst, Oslo, acted as a sales representative in Norwegian ports, mainly in Oslo. It acted as an intermediary for the supply of food products, primarily
• Italy – R.Valentino, Rome, a sales representative for Italian ports. It acted as an intermediary in the sale of frozen meat, poultry, cheese, and eggs
• West Germany – Leo Adams, Amsterdam, acted as a sales agent for fruit and vegetable preserves
• Netherlands – Bols, Amsterdam, a sales agent specializing in the sale of vodka
• Gibraltar – Carreras, acted as a sales agent for frozen meat
• ndia – Bimex, Mumbai, acted as a sales agent for sugar

During this period, there was also a significant expansion of the product range in individual categories; among other things, the confectionery and clothing division expanded.

1983 – the company was transformed into a joint-stock company. Company name: PHZ Baltona S.A. The Baltona brand is most often associated with luxury products that could be bought in Baltona shops for convertible currencies, mostly dollars or sailor vouchers – products of global brands ranging from alcohol, cigarettes, clothes, electronics, and home appliances to cosmetics.

The 1980s represent the flourishing of Baltona's activities before the change of the economic system in Poland. At that time, 260 points of sale were established across the country, and the brand's hallmark was a smiling Sailor depicted on Baltona's shopping bags. It was the only network of shops in Poland during the PRL (Polish People's Republic) era, distinguished by a colorful logo and an original sailor figure communicating the company's main scope and direction of activities.

At that time, in addition to developing a network of public shops, Baltona was still supplying ships in Polish and foreign seaports, diplomatic missions, LOT Polish Airlines aircraft, as well as engaging in re-export and conducting its own export activities to so-called small markets – the Vatican, Malta, the Canary Islands.

It can be said that the famous Baltona shops, initially available only to Sailors, spread their wings and transformed into a network of duty-free shops located at international airports in Poland and abroad. The first duty-free shop during the free-market era was opened at the Okęcie airport in Warsaw in 1993.

1993 – commercial activity began at the Warsaw Okęcie International Airport in the free customs zone.

The 1990s were one of the more difficult periods in Baltona's history. The change of the economic system in Poland had a major impact on the company's functioning. Free market laws led to the creation of small, private enterprises as well as the entry of foreign shops into the Polish market, with which Baltona began to compete

However, along with the development of airports and the construction of new terminals, Baltona also began to grow with them. Baltona's experience gained in the Duty Free segment, running a network of public shops, and long-term cooperation with brands allowed the company to rapidly expand in duty-free zones at airports. Shops were opened at airports in Gdańsk, Katowice, Kraków, and Poznań.

Acquisition of retail space at airports:

• 1994 – Gdańsk
• 1996 – Katowice
• 1998 – Kraków
• 1999 – Poznań

Since privatization, the company has experienced intensive development combined with the reorganization of its activities.

Flemingo International, a major investor based in Dubai, has entered the market.

The company enters the NewConnect market.

The company debuts on the main market of the Warsaw Stock Exchange. Acquisition of retail space at airports:

• 2005 – Rzeszów
• 2006 – Bydgoszcz
• 2011 – Montpellier (Francja)
• 2012 – Lwów (Ukraina), Modlin (Polska)
• 2013 – Weeze (Niemcy) , Rotterdam (Holandia), Liege (Belgia)
• 2014 – Alghero (Włochy)
• 2016 – Katowice
• 2017 – Tallinn (Estonia), Wrocław
• 2018 – Wrocław

Baltona returns to Warsaw Chopin Airport, where it is the operator of 14 retail outlets

Polish Airports State Enterprise (PPL) becomes the Company's strategic investor.