Regional manufacturing conglomerate GraceKennedy Group is committing full-fledged support for Jamaica’s national recovery efforts following the passage of Hurricane Beryl. 

“In the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, our hearts are with all those affected by this devastating storm,” said Don Wehby, group CEO of GraceKennedy Limited. “Guided by our longstanding ‘We Care’ ethos, GraceKennedy is committed to supporting the Government of Jamaica’s recovery efforts, especially in the areas most severely impacted.”

“We know our farmers in St Elizabeth have been very badly hit for example, and we are committed to working closely with them and the local authorities to get them back on their feet as quickly as possible. We are determined to help them rebuild and will support the recovery of Jamaica’s agricultural sector in the coming months,” Wehby explained.

Wehby emphasised that GraceKennedy is also actively supporting its valued team members who have been affected by the hurricane. He also commended the GK team’s dedication to ensure the swift resumption of the company’s operations across the island.

“We are immensely grateful for our team’s efforts in effectively implementing and maintaining our robust business continuity framework, enabling us to swiftly resume our service to communities across the island. The minimal damage sustained by our Jamaican operations underscores the collective preparedness and resilience of our team,” he stated.

GK Foods – Domestic distribution centres have resumed normal operations, ensuring essential supplies are readily available across the island.

All Hi-Lo Food Stores locations are now open, with most having resumed operations on Thursday morning. Many GK Money Services locations, including Western Union, FX Trader, and Bill Express, also reopened their doors to serve customers on Thursday.

GraceKennedy’s offices on Harbour Street in Kingston, and all First Global Bank, GK General Insurance, Key Insurance, and GK Capital Management locations resumed normal operations yesterday. Operations have also resumed at several GK manufacturing facilities and are expected to be fully operational by early next week.

“We draw inspiration from the strength and determination exhibited by communities across Jamaica over the past few days. Jamaicans are a resilient people, and ours is a blessed nation. I am confident that together, we will recover and rebuild stronger than ever. We also extend our sincere gratitude to the essential workers from both the public and private sectors who have been working tirelessly to aid in our nation’s recovery,” Wehby concluded.