For over four decades, Greens Supermarkets Ltd has grown from a family-run fruit and vegetable truck into one of Malta’s most recognized retail groups – spanning supermarkets, convenience stores, factories, and even restaurants.
At the heart of its digital transformation stands Anthony Grech, Head of IT. Having joined Greens 18 years ago as a cashier, Anthony’s curiosity and drive led him to oversee the group’s entire IT infrastructure across eight companies. His passion for efficient, scalable systems has guided Greens through its expansion – and most recently, into adopting the innovative PATCHBOX cabling solution.
How It All Got Started
Anthony first discovered PATCHBOX while searching online for flat patch leads to replace traditional thick cables. Instead of just changing cables, the whole PATCHBOX-cable management-solution got his attention – and after testing it in a smaller project, he contacted the sales-team @ PATCHBOX.
What began as curiosity soon evolved into a trusted partnership.
“Once we saw what PATCHBOX could do, there was no going back,” Anthony explains. “It’s easier to manage, more reliable, and simply makes sense for large-scale networks like ours.”
Greens’ first installation phase quickly proved successful. Encouraged by the results, the team placed a second order – solidifying PATCHBOX as their go-to solution.
Greens Supermarkets x PATCHBOX
Using PATCHBOX since:
2020
Industry & market(s):
retail in 1 country
Number of branches:
8 branches
Number of racks:
over 35
Number of employees working with/on the racks: 3
Current Project and Future – with PATCHBOX only
Greens is currently working on the installation of a 1,000-point network, a critical infrastructure project for one of their larger supermarkets. Using PATCHBOX allowed the team to streamline cable tracing, minimize downtime, and optimize vertical cable management within their network cabinets.
“Downtime means money,” Anthony notes. “PATCHBOX helps us pinpoint network issues immediately instead of wasting time searching through documentation.”
In the next step, Greens plans to continue implementing PATCHBOX across its large-format stores, where space and cabinet depth allow full integration. For smaller Little Greens convenience shops, the team uses a hybrid setup with standard patch panels due to tighter space constraints – though PATCHBOX remains the preferred choice whenever feasible.
Looking forward, Anthony’s team will also roll out new installations in their upcoming bakery and pastry factory, as well as other expansions across Malta.
Experience and Benefits
From installation to daily operation, PATCHBOX has transformed how Greens approaches cable management. Anthony praises the new, lighter patchbox.one model, as its benefits extend beyond aesthetics:
- Improved manageability of large networks.
- Vertical space optimization and better airflow in cabinets.
- Reduced downtime, translating directly into business continuity.
- Reliability and flexibility that justify the higher upfront cost.
“It pays for itself in flexibility and reduced downtime. Once you experience it, you can’t go back to traditional cable management. #RETURN OF INVESTMENT” – Anthony points out.
The whole solution is made even more sustainable by the Setup.exe tool, which is now part of the standard toolkit of his technicians.
“It’s practical, efficient, and saves us time – especially in IT rooms that often lack even a proper desk,” he says and mentioned that efficiency and uptime are vital in the retail sector: “PATCHBOX would fit perfectly there. It’s an innovative solution that is perfect for our industry.”
PATCHBOX helped us to
- reduce downtimes
- ensure network stability
- support the IT-team with an easy solution
- and provide physical tools to make the daily IT-environment sustainable and efficient
What started as a search for better cables has evolved into a partnership built on innovation, trust, and mutual growth. Greens Supermarkets continues to expand, and PATCHBOX has become an integral part of its IT success story.
“For us, PATCHBOX isn’t just about cables,” Anthony concludes. “It’s about reliability, organization, and confidence in our network – and that’s something every growing business needs.”
