GK Foods & Services Limited, a subsidiary of GraceKennedy Limited will be opening its sixth manufacturing plant in Jamaica next year.
On Monday, GraceKennedy Limited announced that the new facility will produce a range of conveniently portioned and packaged locally grown fruits and vegetables primarily for export markets.
The 60,000 square foot facility in the central parish of Clarendon contains a specialized agro-processing production line that will be augmented with newly acquired equipment and fully commissioned by mid-2018.
A range of locally grown products will be further processed into value-added finished products.
The company says J$215 million will be spent on acquiring agro-processing equipment, installing blast-freezing capability, refurbishing and upgrading the facility and property, implementing a waste water management system and funding product research & development.
“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,” said Don Wehby, Group CEO of GraceKennedy Ltd.
“We expect to create employment for up to 70 persons and contribute to further growth in the agricultural sector over time,” he added.
GraceKennedy is a leading exporter of quality food products including its world-famous line of hot and spicy pepper sauces, made from pepper mash processed at Grace Agro Processors Division (GAP) based in the southern parish of St Elizabeth.
GAP also produces the popular Grace Fresh and Ready brand of ready-to-cook vegetables which are available in supermarkets around the island.
“We continue to look for ways to deepen our relationships with farmers across Jamaica as we develop new initiatives to absorb their produce, incentivize productivity, and promote employment opportunities,” Wehby said.
