Caribbean Broilers Group says it has pumped US$4 million in a state-of-the-art facility aimed at producing healthier, convenient foods and to reduce Jamaica’s import bill on poultry products.

In a press release, CB Group said it has launched a marketing campaign ‘Live Better’, which seeks to challenge Jamaicans “to do less talking and embrace their collective power to take more positive actions”. The new facility, located on CB’s Clarendon property, will officially begin production of CB’s line of healthier and convenient foods in April and is expected to provide employment for an additional eight individuals.

“Living better is about change and creating the world you want to live in,” said CB Group’s Chief Operating Officer Matthew Lyn. “We’re trying to get people to realise that they have the power to make a difference in their own lives, in their country and most of all, for other people.”

CB’s campaign focuses on improving Jamaicans’ living standards through more health-conscious decisions, buying home-grown products that support local farmers and making eco-friendly decisions that create less harm to the island’s beaches and water sources.

The company noted that over the past two years, it has been conducting research and developing a number of new products, brands and services that will be launched later this year.

“2017 is going to be an exciting year for our group. We have many announcements, some big announcements and some even bigger announcements to make this year,” said Lyn via the release. The company has partnered with the Hi-Lo supermarket chain for unveiling of the products.

CB Foods noted that it is introducing foods that require less preparation time without sacrificing any health standards to match the lifestyle of consumers on the go.

It added that many studies have shown that the majority of today’s lifestyle diseases — obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer are related to diet and environment.

“People are working longer hours, cooking at home less and have developed poor eating habits, which take a toll on personal health, family relationships and even the public health system,” the company said.

As for import substitution, CB said it continues to invest in the build-out of key agro-industries thus creating jobs and reducing the need for excessive importation of particular food items, which directly contributes to the nation’s growth agenda.

“Investing in Jamaica is in our DNA,” said the COO. “This is my home. I’m proud and want to make a difference here. That’s why we’re actively seeking to partner with farmers, to create jobs and enable sustainable agriculture.”