The Italian company Italsav, directed by Berto Savina, is about to open the first mixed-management shopping center in Havana, Cuba.
This agreement will allow Italsav to be in charge of the management and selection of the shopping center’s products, but sales and personnel will continue to be the responsibility of the Cuban state.
Italsav has been supplying essential materials and goods to Havana for more than thirty years and during the pandemic it has made important donations of safety devices and syringes to help in the vaccination campaign against Covid-19 in the country.
The collaboration between Italsav and Cuba began about thirty years ago, when Savina opened several businesses called TODOX, where everything sold inside was priced at one dollar. From there, a commercial pact was established with the Cuban government that granted the Italian company the number 20 trade license, allowing it to increase its business volume.
Currently, Italsav is the main importer of cleaning products in Cuba, with more than 160 points of sale, including cleaning, souvenir and clothing stores. Every month, they send between 70 and 80 containers of products and have a turnover of a total of 150 million euros in the last ten years.
Savina recalls her meeting with Fidel Castro in Rome, when the “Cuban leader” visited Italy to meet the Pope.
Savina was impressed by Castro’s charisma and the indescribable feeling he exuded. He still resonates with it, saying that his “big and welcoming smile reflected all the goodness of him” in him.
Over the years, Italsav has contributed to the well-being of the Cuban island through various donations, such as the construction of the largest dinosaur park in South America. This park has a total area of 500 square meters and presents 1:1 scale reproductions of dinosaurs that reach up to 15 meters in height.
The opening of the mixed-management shopping center is great news for Havana and an important step in the collaboration between Italy and Cuba. Italsav continues to be an important company in the supply of goods and services to Cuba and in supporting the Cuban people.
Last updated on 03/11/2023 – 2:15 pm
