Thalia Lyn, Chief Executive Officer of Island Grill

Having learnt a few lessons from its defunct Florida operations, Island Grill is taking a measured approach to international expansion. Chief Executive Officer of Island Grill, Thalia Lyn, spoke to Caribbean Business Report regarding her company's plan to spread its wings beyond Jamaica.

"In Jamaica, we could just keep on expanding and do well. However, the company is called Island Grill, not Jamaica Grill, because we are a part of the Caribbean and we want them to be proud of us."

However, things in Jamaica aren't doing too badly. Lyn explained that for May alone, 220,000 transactions were handled at the 13 Island Grill locations. At J$100 to J$300 per transaction, that would equate to between J$22 to J$66 million (US$333,333 - US$1,000,000) in sales per month.

That said, Lyn explained that the way in which Island Grill will expand is through a partnership with a more established Caribbean company. However, that partnership will start in Barbados and not in St Lucia as reported. Apparently, there were reports that Island Grill would be partnering with the St Lucian family business dynasty, the Chastenets .

To that report, Lyn said, "Not at this time." She did reveal, "I had gone down to St. Lucia and spoke with Chastenet, but we (Island Grill) are going to focus on our partnership with Goddard Enterprises Limited." Goddard, a subsidiary of Sagicor, was incorporated in Barbados in 1921.

And this is a strategic shift from Island Grill's North American venture in 2000 where the company went on its own into the highly competitive Florida quick- service restaurant industry.
"In Florida, after the events of September 11, 2001 (terror attacks in New York), the sales just fell because people were not spending money." Sources in the travel service industry added that Lyn faced biting jealousy from more established expatriate Jamaican restaurateurs who resented Island Grill coming into their territory. Of the experience, Lyn merely stated that, "What we learnt from that experience is how to strengthen our systems, procedures and processes."
With that experience behind her, Lyn has a clear plan going forward.

Said Lyn, "Goddard is already our partner in the Island Grill stores in Norman Manley International airport." And based on that, "The partnership will be going to Grantley Adams Airport in Barbados."

Interestingly, in Jamaica, the Island Grill airport location contributes over 20 per cent of total sales. The idea is to replicate that ratio abroad. Which can be done because in an airport, "we have a captive market." Lyn continues, "We are excited, because with Goddard the possibilities are endless."

This is not an overly optimistic statement. Goddard is a major player in the food service industry with 50 subsidiaries in 21 countries in Caribbean, Latin and South America. One of these subsidiaries is a shareholding in Versair Inflite Services which specialises in airline catering. It is not a stretch of the imagination to see Island Grill meals on flights around the Caribbean.

This can happen because there is a yearning for home- grown selections by Caribbean nationals. Lyn states, "What we have found in the Caribbean is that there is not a lot of true Caribbean quick-service restaurants. Many fast-food restaurants are not indigenous. We see a need to create specific menu items that reflect the cultures. For example, in Barbados we will be doing flying fish."

So with all these great plans and healthy sales figures, is there a possibility that Island Grill will list on one of the regional stock exchanges.

"We are profitable enough to list on the Jamaica Stock Exchange," Lyn notes, "and we have considered it because listing is a good way to improve what we do; but we have no time frame for that. We want to keep improving and adding value to the company."

Back in Jamaica, Island Grill will be opening its 14th location on Red Hills Road, a middle-class St Andrew neighbourhood, by the end of the year.

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