As a leading caterer, we enjoy a remarkable reputation, backed by almost 90 years of experience. We bring together a diverse and multi-talented team to serve our customers with a memorable experience. Whether visiting one of our coffee shops or trusting us with your event, we are more than prepared to serve you excellence.
For ninety years, Busy Bee has been present at special occasions celebrated by generations of Maltese, be they weddings, baptisms or birthday parties, staff parties and other social gatherings. All these events have been marked by the delivery of a high-quality selection of sweets and savouries, a smart waiter service and, above all, the certainty that guests were in for an unforgettable treat. The same commitment to this kind quality continues to underline all that we do, to this day.
Back in 1933, when Censu Friggieri opened the Busy Bee Confectionery in Msida, serving Maltese favourites like the renowned ricotta filled kannoli, almond pastries, pastini and krustini, little could he have imagined that by the turn of the millennium, Busy Bee would become a leading outside catering company and a household name, synonymous with genuine and wholesome products.
When Censu’s son, Edwin, took over the business in 1974, he kept on building on the reputation established by his father. Over the years, he introduced Italian delicacies such as Dolci di Mandorla and handmade Torroncini, which the Maltese had started enjoying whilst abroad.
During this time, the humble confectionery was gradually transformed into an Italian styled coffee shop and ‘tavola calda’ eatery, serving a varied menu of foods, savouries, sweets and beverages. This was also the time that Busy Bee started providing quality catering for wedding parties and receptions.
While at the helm of Busy Bee, Edwin would often be heard stressing the importance of hard work and dedication: “If you are going to do something, do it well from the start; success will follow”.
With his sons, Brian and Geoffrey, already involved in the family business at a very young age, this philosophy proved to be a winning formula, and 1987 saw the expansion and refurbishment of Busy Bee into a state-of-the-art coffee shop.
In 1988, Edwin Friggieri went on to acquire Villa Mdina in Naxxar, probably Malta’s most sought after venue for weddings and receptions, thus consolidating Busy Bee’s leading position in the outside catering sector.
Busy Bee’s journey in gelato also goes way back to 1933, when the company was renowned throughout the island for serving the best traditional Maltese ice-cream. In June 2012, the Busy Bee Gelateria opened its doors, becoming a refuge for those seeking to unwind and tickle their taste buds with the best genuine authentic gelato on the island.
Today the patrons of our Gelateria will not only find 45 different flavours of gelato, but also fresh pancakes and waffles served to their liking, with a vast variety of toppings and fillings. We also serve fat free and soya ice-cream, frozen yoghurt, ‘latte di mandorla’ and sorbet.
In July 2018, Brian and Geoffrey relocated Busy Bee’s main kitchen from Msida to the Central Business District in the Mriehel Food Hub. On the 20th November of that same year, the Friggieri brothers inaugurated an 8,000 sq. mtr. facility designed together with leading logistics and food technology experts, with an investment exceeding Eur7 million.
The state-of-the-art factory has enabled Busy Bee to create much needed spare production capacity, whilst maintaining the high quality which is synonymous with the brand. The plant includes underground parking, administration offices and staff facilities, eight different production areas, dry goods stores, multiple docking bays, and 330 sq. mtr. of cold rooms.
The year 2019 saw the brothers Geoffrey and Brian fulfill another dream, the opening of their second outlet, this time in Mriehel.
“You’ll feel like you’ve just walked into a café in Paris! Locals are already raving about the café, describing it as an absolute “must-visit” – and who are we to argue? We can’t wait to head over and stuff our faces with Busy Bee’s scrumptious pastries. I mean, who wouldn’t?” (GuideMalta, 2018)
Further to the success of the Mriehel outlet, Busy Bee opened their third Coffee shop in the popular shopping district of Sliema. This outlet was the first Busy Bee to introduce a new selection of cocktails, together with the usual popular Busy Bee staples.
Busy Bee opens its first location on the south of Malta in Fgura. Besides serving the iconic Busy Bee menu, a pizza menu was added. This year also marks the second consecutive year in which Busy Bee was voted as Malta’s most popular Cafe by The Definitive(ly) Good Guide to Restaurants in Malta and Gozo.
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