Two Jamaican companies – Grace, Kennedy and Air Jamaica Cargo – were recipients of the International Business Awards 2002 as high performers in the import/export industry in South Florida.

The Chamber of Commerce for Doral & Airport West Community recently hosted a presentation ceremony to honour outstanding performers throughout the business community. Awards were presented in geographical categories, for which both Jamaican companies emerged as the winners in the Caribbean region. Other categories included Asia, Europe and Central and South America.

Responding to the question of growth in the South Florida area, Doral’s Chamber of Commerce president, Felipe Madrigal, said that almost 800 regional offices of nationally-established companies are located in South Florida, 300 of which are located in the Doral area, a northwest Miami suburb.

Receiving the Grace, Kennedy award was Neville Miller, international marketing manager, while Orville Hart, area sales manager, South East United States, accepted Air Jamaica’s award.

Grace, Kennedy was established in 1922 in Kingston, and has since expanded and diversified to become one of the largest corporate dynamic entities in Jamaica and the Caribbean.

A leading food distributor, Grace, Kennedy has established itself as a household name in Jamaica and in overseas communities with large Jamaican populations.

Today, Grace, Kennedy comprises a formidable network of some 70 subsidiaries, employing over 2,000 persons. Headquartered in Kingston, Grace has operations in the area of food manufacturing, shipping and distribution, finance, information technology, and tourism.

Over the years, Grace, Kennedy has been the recipient of several national and international awards, including the Champion Trader Award and Champion Caricom Trader Award for 2001.

Air Jamaica Cargo, like Grace, Kennedy, emerged as winner for their superior operating standards. Last April, Air Jamaica Cargo removed to a larger space to improve service through increased capabilities aimed at handling a diverse type of freight.

With new customer-friendly features and improved security, Air Jamaica Cargo has positioned itself to successfully compete and take advantage of the growth with its quality and range of services.