Quick Service Food giant Restaurants of Jamaica (ROJ) recently marked their 47th birthday with the staging of a tour of their new KFC and Pizza Hut Drax Hall restaurant facilities, along with the grand opening of their Pizza Hut Drax Hall location. Both of which were attended by government ministers and private sector representatives.

ROJ Managing Director Mark Myers noted, “This is our 15th Pizza Hut location and the 10th outside Kingston and St Andrew. It is important to us because it shows that the growth and acceptance of the product is not only limited to the urban areas but includes rural and newly urban areas.

With the advent of the highway, Drax Hall has blossomed, not only with the number of people passing through but also in terms of housing development in the area. It is becoming a hub for commerce, and we are excited to be a part of that.”

Central to ROJ’s mandate is the critical role that company continues to play in Jamaica’s food industry as one of the country’s largest employers with nearly 2000 employee – and currently in the midst of a major all-island recruitment drive – and a consistent source of large-scale investments.

The company’s commitment to economic growth and development was most recently evidenced by the $300 million outlay in constructing the KFC and Pizza Hut restaurants in Drax Hall. ROJ operates 40 KFC and 15 Pizza Hut restaurants islandwide.

While participating in the tour, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Franklyn Witter shared, “We welcome the expansion of the Pizza Hut and KFC brands because it creates more demand for the produce our farmers grow. This expansion leads to more employment and more money in the pockets of everyone associated with the expansion.

I am happy to have been included in this special occasion to witness the magnitude of the expansion that has taken place. I also recognise the contribution ROJ makes to the economy as a major employer of Jamaicans.”

ROJ currently sources its produce and chicken products used in its brands locally. To maintain this practice, ROJ works closely with local farmers and manufacturers to ensure they meet the international standards required by global partners.

Hon. Marsha Smith, State Minister for Finance and the Public Service and Member of Parliament for St Ann North East, encompassing Drax Hall, also welcomed the newest addition to St Ann’s business landscape. She stated, “My constituents are excited that ROJ has opened a Pizza Hut location in Drax Hall.

Drax Hall is a quickly developing suburban area and, therefore, a convenient dining location for those who live in the surrounding communities and persons passing through. I am excited about the investments that ROJ continues to make in our country. Many of the ingredients they use are grown or manufactured in Jamaica, so this benefits our farmers and persons who gain employment from ROJ or linked industries.”

Discussing the future of ROJ, Myers further noted that the entity had made efforts to overcome staffing challenges plaguing the hospitality industry by hosting hiring fairs and implementing digital recruitment methods.

These methods, he notes, will be essential for returning to full service following the removal of curfew measures and the staffing of new ROJ restaurants such as KFC Christiana, which will open in 2022.

Commenting on the status of KFC’s highly anticipated foray into St. Thomas, Myers explained, “We are still patiently awaiting further development with the Morant Bay City Centre. We have applied for and been allocated space for both the KFC and Pizza Hut brands.

The south coast road development continues to open up access into St Thomas; therefore, we are actively looking for other locations. However, we expect the first one to be in Morant Bay.”

ROJ’s commercial activities are underscored by a robust corporate social responsibility programme that has seen the group donate over $25 million in cash and meals since the start of 2020 to several outreach initiatives, including the National School Feeding Programme, primarily through their KFC “Add Hope” outreach programme.

In 2021, ROJ contributed $2 million towards constructing a new field hospital at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI), in addition to donating 100 tablets, valued at $2.3 million, to the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information’s ‘One Laptop or Tablet per Child’ initiative as well as donating thousands of meals to various Children’s Homes, Hospitals, Public Sector organizations, and outreach groups.