The AST Group plc €1.835 million 5.5% 2028 Prospects MTF bond has been admitted to the Prospects MTF, a market regulated as an MTF and operated by the Malta Stock Exchange and trading of the bond commenced last Monday.

The group will use the proceeds of the bond to finance the acquisition of a multipurpose vessel. The ownership of such a vessel will allow the AST Group to vertically integrate its operations, complementing the animal feed operation, by setting up shipping operations and a logistics centre in Malta. AST Group plans to warehouse the storage of animal feed products at its Malta centre and manage the distribution of these products into markets around the Mediterranean and in mainland Europe.

“On behalf of the AST Group, I would like to express my gratitude to all investors who supported our business plan by placing their money in the AST bond issue. We consider this success as a vote of confidence for our plans. The Prospects MTF listing is only the first step for the AST Group. We will continue to expand our distribution channels and penetrate new markets across Europe, using Malta as our logistics base,” said the group’s CEO Emmanuoil Kalamaras.

Founded in 2011, the AST Group is active in international trading of animal feed products to different European markets.  Over the past years it has grown its presence in several European markets and now has branches in Greece, Cyprus, Hungary, Spain, France, as well as Malta.