GK Foods to expand agro-processing footprint in Jamaica

GK Foods & Services Ltd., a Jamaica-based subsidiary of GraceKennedy Ltd., announced plans to open its sixth manufacturing plant in Jamaica next year.  The new facility, which will be fully commissioned by mid-2018, will produce a range of conveniently portioned and packaged locally grown fruits and vegetables primarily for export markets.

The 60,000-square-foot facility, which is situated in Denbigh, Clarendon, contains a specialized agro-processing production line that will be augmented with newly acquired equipment, including blast-freezing capability and a wastewater management system along with refurbishing and upgrading the facility and property and funding product research and development. A range of locally grown products will be further processed into value-added finished products. 

“We have been working toward this acquisition since late 2015, and I am pleased that we can now officially put this well-placed facility to productive use. This plant, our sixth manufacturing plant in Jamaica, will be another channel for farmers to supply goods that are in high demand in North American and UK markets,” says Don Wehby, group CEO of GraceKennedy. “We expect to create employment for up to 70 persons and contribute to further growth in the agricultural sector over time.”