GraceKennedy

This year marks a milestone in the history of Hi Lo Food Stores as it celebrates its 25^th anniversary as a subsidiary of GraceKennedy Ltd.  Started in Jamaica on April 29, 1954 as the first supermarket in Jamaica,  Hi Lo Food Stores was originally owned and operated by the Neal and Massey Group. When the original owners decided to sell the business, GraceKennedy took up the offer.

With the negotiations concluded, GraceKennedy purchased the original supermarket, Hi Lo Cross Roads along with the three other locations in Kingston, and another in Mandeville.  On September 1, 1984 operations began under GraceKennedy’s management with Mr. Douglas Orane as the CEO. Over the years, the chain has expanded to its current network of 15 stores islandwide.   

The operations have been supported by several customer service initiatives through the passage of time in an effort to serve its customers better. These initiatives commenced with the annual Farm and Flower Fair and later the Manor Park Tea Room, the Senior Citizen’s programme, Sunday opening, private label, a designated customer service line, its FS5 promise of a Fresh Store, Full Shelves, Fast Service, Friendly Smiles and Frequent Savings to customers as well as other initiatives, implemented to build customer loyalty.

Andrea Coy (left), General Manager of Hi-Lo Food Stores Division, receives a special award in recognition of her outstanding leadership which has taken Hi-Lo Food Stores through a successful reorganization towards a firm path of profitability. Presenting the award is Director Audrey Hinchcliffe, Chairman of Hi-Lo Food Stores Management Board. The occasion was the recently-held Annual Store Managers and Long Service Awards Dinner.

However, it has not been only about expansion and operations at Hi-Lo Food Stores. Over the years, the Management team focused on its most valuable asset, implementing various initiatives to build the competences of its team members, through recruitment, training and development and employee relations.

Team building exercises include fun days for team members from all locations, sporting competitions, annual staff parties, retreats as well as team appreciation days, ensuring that they played together, just as hard as they worked together. 

In 2007, Hi-Lo Food Stores received the Divisional CEO’s award for the most improved company in GraceKennedy’s GK Foods division, having made profit consistently for the year, and in 2008 received the Company of the Year award. Today, Hi-Lo remains profitable and is poised for expansion.