THE Hi-Lo supermarket chain, owned by the GraceKennedy Group (GK), is now on a recruitment drive for middle managers on the heels of a multimillion dollar renovation exercise by the conglomerate.

In a recent advertisement, Hi-Lo said it will be hosting a job fair on March 22 at St Luke’s Church Hall in Kingston, to recruit senior customer service representatives, reconciliation clerks, floor supervisors, receival supervisors, meat supervisors, product supervisors, meat cutters, purchasers and senior cashiers for its growing business.

“Because we have expanded and renovated the current stores a number of vacancies came up, so those are what we are trying to fill,” Group CEO Don Wehby told the Jamaica Observer.

He added that while the company will not be adding any new stores in the immediate future, plans are underway to begin renovation of the Hi-Lo Cross Roads store. To date, Hi-Lo employs roughly 600 individuals.

GraceKennedy is now looking to include self-checkout machines to efficiently manage consumer traffic, in addition to launching the Hi-Lo online shopping portal by year end.

Last September GraceKennedy completed renovation at the Portmore Pines Hi-Lo Food Store, following on-schedule completion of Hi-Lo Manor Park in 2014, Barbican in 2015, and both Liguanea and Montego Bay in 2016.

The renovation exercise will continue on a phased basis for the 13 Hi-Lo stores across the island at a cost of US$8 million.

Hi-Lo Spanish Town branch will follow shortly after the Cross Roads branch, as GraceKennedy seeks to match best-in-class standards of some of the most successful supermarkets in North America.