History

Marks the creation of the first company of the Group – Bel Network Solutions – originally dedicated to software development and the presentation of computer solutions, computer equipment sales and rendering of services in this sector of the market.

The year of the founding of Bel Distribuição S.A., a company that initially aimed to acquire small companies in commerce and distribution in the central zone of the country and in the vending machines sector. Simultaneously, the company expanded in the Food&Beverage business area. 

The group acquires the vending assets of company Oliveira Beja, in Santarém.

The Group acquires the vending assets of company Miranda Unipessoal, in Santarém.

The company DLP Portugal, S.A. is founded to expand the importation and exportation of Food&Beverage, and is acquired the vending company of Carregado.

The Group acquires Leirivending – Comércio, Distribuição e Vending S.A, a company with 14 years of history in the vending market of coffee, beverages and snacks operating in the HORECA channel. 

The Group acquires Beiradis, the biggest vending machine distributor in Coimbra.

Urbilink – Mediação Imobiliária, Lda, a real estate company, is acquired with the intention of creating a solid base for the development of the Group in this sector of activity. Also launched in the same year the Group’s first own brand: Coffee Bel.

The Group acquires Futurete-Indústria de Máquinas de Café, Lda, a producer of handmade coffee machines and grinders. The company Bel Network Solutions gives birth to Grupo BEL S.A., a portuguese holding aggregating all the companies within the group. Currently, it is based in Carnaxide where the Group’s Innovation Centre is also housed. The Innovation Centre is dedicated to technology development of new projects, with a special focus on patents associated with the new products developed by Group companies.

The Group launches Amicis Gin brand, a Premium Gin brand produced in the center of the country.

The Group acquires the companies SDT- Sociedade de Distribuição, Lda in Lisbon area and STR- Sociedade de Distribuição Lda, a distribution society in Santarém.

The Grupo BEL becomes a reference shareholder of the Group Active Space Techologies, S.A.. and acquires a percentage of Megafin – Sociedade Editora, S.A. owner of Jornal Económico. In the same year, with a view to the Recovery and Preservation of National Assets and Social Responsibility, Grupo BEL also becomes a shareholder of Fábrica das Fitas.

The Group acquired Metalúrgica Luso-Italiana S.A., holder of a Portuguese brand of faucets – Zenite. This acquisition is the result of Grupo’s BEL strategy to recover  and develop manufacturing businesses in Portugal. Aslo this year, Augusto Duarte Reis, S.A., is acquired, a company dedicated to the distribution, promotion and vending of Food & Beverage.

Grupo BEL celebrates its 18th anniversary. 

The company Aximage- Comunicação e Imagem, Lda, specialized in opinion polls is acquired. The Group’s real estate assets are strenghtened by the acquisition of Grupo Flugraph-SPGS, S.A., which holds stakes in real estate and hotel companies, such as: Estalagem do Farol, S.A., Sociedade Agro-turística da Herdade do Rio Mourinho, S.A. and Propriurbe– Propriedades e Urbanizações, S.A.. In the same year, it is founded Grupo BEL R&D, a company that promotes research and development in Grupo BEL; and it is acquired a financial stake in Global Notícias – Media Group, S.A., one of the largest Media groups in Portugal with a recognized presence in Press, Magazines, Radio, Sports News, Business, Health, and others. 

It is founded Bel e-Power, Lda, company dedicated to the commercialization and implementation of solutions for the production, management and consumption of renewable energy in the latest generation electric mobility sector in Portugal. In 2021, through Grupo BEL R&D, acquired a majority position in Inovaworks II, Command and Control, S.A. a software company for operations management, monitoring and surveillance, and geospatial intelligence analysis. Also in the same year, became shareholder in VASP – Distribuidora de Publicações, S.A. leading company in press distribution in Portugal. Grupo BEL celebrates its 20th anniversary.

The Group acquired a percentage in Agência Lusa – Agência de Notícias de Portugal, S.A., becoming a reference shareholder of the largest producer and distributor of news about Portugal and the world, in Portuguese Language. In March 2022, it sells its shareholding in Megafin – Sociedade Editora, S.A., the owner of Jornal Económico.