Quick-service food g iant Restaurants of Jamaica (ROJ), the operators of KFC and Pizza Hut, has continued its streak of major investments in Jamaica’s food industry, despite economic uncertainty brought on by COVID-19.

Less than a month after completing a $130-million investment in Pizza Hut’s Harbour View location, the group notes that 2021 will bring even bigger developments.

During the last two years, ROJ has invested over $1.2 billion in Jamaica’s quick-service restaurant (QSR) industry with the opening of four KFC and three Pizza Hut locations, bringing the total number of restaurants managed to 53. This figure includes $330 million invested in the construction of two locations (KFC Junction and Pizza Hut Harbour View) during the global pandemic. ROJ is also recognised as a leading Jamaican employer, with over 2,300 people employed across its KFC and Pizza Hut locations, distribution and Restaurant Support Centres.

ROJ’s 2021 expansion targets an additional two KFC and two Pizza Hut locations to be opened by the end of the year which will see an additional 170 jobs being created. The areas targeted for 2021 expansion are: St Ann, for both KFC and Pizza Hut; Westmoreland for KFC; and Kingston & St Andrew for another Pizza Hut.

Last Tuesday, ROJ Managing Director Mark Myers guided St Andrew East Rural MP Juliet Holness on a tour of the Pizza Hut Harbour View location, which has already brought new jobs into the constituency. He noted, “Despite the trend of scaled-back operations in the private sector during 2020, we took the bold decision to respond to demand and expand our investments. ROJ has always been at the forefront of the QSR industry, delivering high-quality products and creating jobs – and that is what we will continue to do. Even as economic uncertainty continues in 2021, we remain focused on growth.”

In addition to contributions to job creation and economic growth in 2020, ROJ also stood out as a leader in corporate philanthropy, donating over $25 million to several outreach initiatives, most of which came under their KFC ‘Add Hope’ outreach programme. The figure includes $7.4 million donated to the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information’s national school feeding programme, and $10 million donated to several COVID-19 relief programmes, including $5 million to the PSOJ’s ventilator fund and $2 million to the national telethon for COVID-19 relief.

ROJ also donated $5 million in meals to various hospitals, children’s homes, and public sector entities including the JCF and Ministry of Health and Wellness, to assist with their various COVID-19 relief efforts. ROJ also donated 2500 care packages worth $4 million to children serviced by several of the country’s NGOs, including the YMCA, YWCA, Scouts and Girl Guides a ssociations, Rose Town Foundation, Jamaica Association for the Blind and Jamaica Society for the Deaf, to name a few.

MP Holness welcomed the increased ROJ presence in the constituency, noting “I know the residents of Harbour View and surrounding communities are very happy that Pizza Hut is now a part of the area’s food scene. It is heartening to know that ROJ is committed to developing, not just within the central commercial districts of Kingston and St Andrew but also in areas that are usually overlooked.”

She continued, “ROJ has always been a great corporate friend to East Rural St Andrew, and even more so during the difficulties of the pandemic. They didn’t hesitate to provide meals and other support to residents in need during the pandemic. Furthermore, they have been an outstanding source of support to the Government and people of Jamaica as we battled COVID-19.”