The great grace taste
Celebration time
GK100 has landed
GraceKennedy CEO Don Wehby, alongside event host Simone Clarke-Cooper, officially launches the GK100 anniversary celebrations in January 2022, via a live virtual launch attended by some 500+ GraceKennedy staff members from across the globe
Our History
Leading the way since 1922.
Grace, Kennedy & Company Limited, the parent company of Grace Foods, was famously founded on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 1922 by Dr. John J. Grace and Mr. Fred William Kennedy.
Prior to the founding of GraceKennedy, these two gentlemen worked for Grace Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of W.R. Grace & Company of New York City, New York.
In the United States a brief post-war economic boom which lasted from 1918 until the summer of 1921 was followed by an equally brief but sharp recession. Insolvencies tripled between 1919 and 1921. W.R. Grace and Co. of New York felt the pressure and decided to divest its Jamaican branch. Dr. John Grace realized that Grace Limited in Jamaica was not itself a failing concern but that it was being divested in order to relieve the pressure from the parent company in New York. He decided to keep it. Fred W. Kennedy, who recommended that James Moss-Solomon, then with United Fruit Company, be invited to join the new firm as Accountant, backed his decision. Like Kennedy, Moss-Solomon was of Jamaican stock.
Thus on February 14, 1922, St. Valentine’s Day and Fred William Kennedy’s Mother’s Birthday, a new firm, Grace, Kennedy & Company Limited was launched on the successes of its predecessor.
100 years of GraceKennedy
OUR STORY IS YOUR STORY
People are at the heart of all we do.
Since 1922, GraceKennedy has been a crucial part of Jamaica’s economy, from both a manufacturing and distribution perspective. Grace opened their doors to create job opportunities for the local people of Jamaica.
Whilst retail has changed immeasurably over the last 100 years, GraceKennedy has preserved its quality, staff, and success as a business through hard work and dedication, always ensuring People are the core of every decision made.
Say Hello
... To the Grace Foods UK Family
Let's Celebrate
Our mission hasn’t changed.
For 100 years, our key goal has been to satisfy the unmet needs of Caribbean people across the globe. Whilst you may be far from home, there’s no reason why you can’t have the taste of it! And as a new century dawns for us, we’ve never been more passionate about producing amazing flavours that spread joy.
Honesty, Integrity and Trust. We Care.
GK100
GK100 Office Celebration!
Celebrations kicked up a gear in the Grace Foods UK office. Cupcakes, balloons and all out celebrations on this iconic day!
100 years in the community
Grace Foods have progressively developed their communities through charitable and supportive funding initiatives over the last 100 years.
People are at the heart of all we do and, in 1924, GraceKennedy became one of the first companies to offer shares to employees to reward their hard work. We have also established two charitable foundations to make lasting contributions to Jamaican communities.
The Grace and Staff Community Development Foundation, a partnership between the company's management and staff, was established in 1979 in response to the poor social and economic conditions existing in the inner-city communities surrounding the company's headquarters in Kingston.
100 years of flavour
100 years later, Grace Foods and its international subsidiaries continue this same entrepreneurial spirit as our founding fathers in everything that we do in taking Jamaica to the world, and working to deliver authentic, quality Caribbean products and flavours to our core diaspora communities and new burgeoning mainstream consumers with our delicious and innovative heritage brands which you know and trust.
You too can join in the centenary celebrations at home this year by enjoying our special edition ‘GK100’ branded food and drink products! Keep an eye out on-shelf for special edition packs for our delicious Grace Tropical Rhythms range, our Grace fish and meat products as well as our super special edition Gold Jerk packs, including our iconic Dunn’s River Jamaican Jerk Seasoning and Grace Jamaican-style Jerk BBQ Sauce
So, to mark this amazing milestone we welcome you to join us for our celebrations, island-style!
On the big day, 14th February, we’ll live stream our cake cutting and get the party started with our GK team and valued customers (that means you!).
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