World Brands Services, a division of GraceKennedy Foods & Services Ltd, is now undergoing expansion to facilitate the warehousing of products from the recently acquired Consumer Brands Ltd.

Last Friday GraceKennedy successfully completed the acquisition of Consumer Brands, a distribution company which gives Grace Kennedy Ltd access to brands made by Procter & Gamble (P&G) and distributed in Jamaica since 1992.

P&G brands are some of the most recognisable, fast-moving international consumer goods with household names such as Charmin, Bounty, Ariel, Downy, Tide, Always, Tampax, Pampers, Febreze, Crest, and Olay among its products.

Consumer Brands also distributes products for ten other international and local principals through chain and independent supermarkets, wholesalers, pharmacies, beauty supply outlets, and convenience stores.

It is anticipated that new the portfolio of products will add $2 billion of revenue to the conglomerate’s annual sales. GraceKennedy plans to merge the new acquisition with its World Brands operation.

“We have significant warehouse space which we are expanding out by Bernard Lodge Logistics Centre, and over a period of time we are going to transition the warehousing facility from where it is on Hagley Park Road under one roof to gain efficiency out at our main logistics centre. Of course that is also expected to enhance customer satisfaction,” Chief Executive Officer of Grace Kennedy Don Wehby told the Jamaica Observer.

GraceKennedy now owns and operates Consumer Brands from the Hagley Park Road location.

A wholly owned GraceKennedy subsidiary, World Brands Services manages the procurement, warehousing and distribution across all retail channels in Jamaica of a diversified group of international brands of food and non-food products. Its mandate is delivering quality products at competitive prices, while adding value and expanding markets for GraceKennedy’s principals located either in Jamaica or abroad.

Athol Smith, who has been managing director of Consumer Brands, will remain with the company as an advisor during the transition period, according to a release from Grace Kennedy.

“We are very excited about this acquisition and look forward to working with P&G and all other stakeholders,” Wehby said.

bennettk@jamaicaobserver.com