The Photos Photiades Group was founded by Mr. Photos Photiades when, shortly after the second world war, he realized the opportunities created by the emergence of international trade. With presence in Cyprus, Greece and Lebanon, Photos Photiades & Co. became a major international trader covering Europe, China, the United States, Africa and the former Eastern European countries. In 1966, having the vision of the magnitude and demand for international brands, Mr. Photiades obtained the first ever license to produce Carlsberg Beer outside of Denmark, thus sparking a new era in the Group’s operations.
In the years to follow, Carlsberg Beer became the market leader in Cyprus, a position it holds to the present day, and Photos Photiades Breweries has grown to a total capacity of over 30 million litres per year and also caters for the Greek market. It is the leading brewery in Cyprus and one of the most successful of Carlsberg's breweries worldwide. The company also became the leading producer in mineral water in 1980 with the creation of a bottling plant in the Troodos mountains. The extensive distribution network created through delivery of Carlsberg beer has allowed the Group to have a 100% distribution coverage throughout Cyprus.
In 1995, leveraging on its existing distribution network, the Group formed Photos Photiades Distributors, a company dedicated to the sales, marketing and distribution of high quality international brands. In 1999 the Company commenced an exclusive distribution partnership with Diageo affecting all brands including international brands such as Johnnie Walker, J&B and Smirnoff and many others, together with the distribution of products of Photos Photiades Breweries in the beer (Carlsberg and Leon), water (Agros, Vitalia and Blu) and juice (ENA) categories. Photos Photiades Distributors Ltd is the leading distributor in the Beverage Industry in Cyprus. In 2007 Photos Photiades Distribtors was granted the exclusive distribution of all Diageo and Remy Cointreau products for Romania through its subsidiary Sollers PPD Sarl.
Throughout its history, the Group has invested in land, real estate and financial institutions to diversify into other sources of revenue. The Group is the main and controlling shareholder in Universal Life, the largest insurance company in Cyprus in terms of assets and insurance reserves.
The Group also has a number of real estate projects in the pipeline. Having completed the construction of a Commercial Building in Nicosia in 2002, the Group is expanding its Real Estate Development arm to include a residential building in Nicosia comprised of 9 large luxury apartments with construction commencing in 2006, and "Carolina Park" a unique housing development in the outskirts of Nicosia. Carolina Park consist of over 600 housing plots and aims to be Cyprus' first managed residential town. The Photos Photiades Group has commissioned the bulk of them to 5 leading Architectural firms to create a modern and safe suburb of Nicosia of the highest quality complete with Commercial Centre and Public Park areas
In addition, the Group is in the final stages of masterplanning and obtaining the building permints for its first Integrated Resort in Triopetra Bay, Crete in a company owned land of 1.7 million sqaure meters. Situtated in a unique amphitheatrical seaside location in southern Crete, the Resort will consist of 2 luxury hotels and real estate integrated with the natural beauty of the surroundings. In addition, the Group has masterplanned a unique resort in the Cyprus' Akamas peninsula on company owned land of 1.3 million sqaure meters. The site is of unique beauty and includes a 3km long shore line, borders with the Government forest and is the only privately held property in the area. The masterplanned resort is planned to include hotels, a marina, an 18-hole golf course, an equestrian school and club, amphitheatre, health, healing and life enhancement centre, conference hall, houseing section and many other elements. Finally, the Group has plans for two other sites which it owns in the island of Cefalonia where it owns a site of 12 million square meters with 4km coast line, and in Toxeftra, Cyprus where it owns a seaside site of 265.000 square meters. Both sites are earmarked for future masterplanning and development.
Within the framework of its long and versatile social and cultural contributions the Group established in 1994 the "Photos Photiades Foundation", a Scientific and Cultural Charity Institution. In 1996, the Foundation created its first project, “The Cyprus Museum of Natural History” in a specially designed building located within the gardens of the Carlsberg Brewery, in the outskirts of Nicosia. The Museum's collection consists of about 2,500 exhibits, the majority ofwhich are stuffed mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and insects as well as rocks, minerals, semiprecious stones, shells, fossils, etc. It is open to the public free of charge from Monday – Friday from 8am to 4pm.