As a foodie, entrepreneur Cody Weir had a dream of opening doors to one of Jamaica’s most treasured food brands. On Thursday, March 6, his dream was realised with the official opening of the first Mother’s Xpress location under his belt at the 31a Old Hope Road Texaco location in St Andrew.

The idea of having the franchise was his, and some time after it popped into his mind, he decided to email the company asking for their engagement regarding his interest.

“When you think about a unique country in the world, Jamaica comes to mind, and if there is anything unique about Jamaica, it’s their food. And so, partnering with an authentic Jamaican company like Mother’s is really an honour for me,” Weir told Our Today during an interview at the launch event on Thursday, March 5.

“And, more so, being the first franchise, in recent times, is even better. I’ve been a fan of Mother’s food since I was a child, and I expressed that in my initial email to Mother’s that their patties have been one of the staples of my childhood, and I looked forward from I was a child to being a part of the company, and so here I am,” he said.

He said he chose the location because he knew it was a good spot for a Mother’s restaurant, given the centrality and corporate offices and a major medical centre in the vicinity.

“I was looking at a few [other locations], however, this area, as you realise, there are not a lot of food options, and a lot of corporate companies are around, and so I believe this would have been the ideal location to start with,” Weir explained in his reasoning as to why he chose that location.

Weir is set to open another Mother’s Xpress in Greater Portmore, St Catherine, at a location he believes needs this kind of grab-and-go food service.

He said he was pleased working with the owners of the brand and their staff.

“I’m happy to be the first. I didn’t feel like it was the first franchise in Jamaica at all, because they basically held my hand and walked me through the process,” Weir told Our Today.

“Luckily, at the time when I engaged Mother’s, they were actually just coming on or just accepting franchisees, and the process was smooth, the process was simple, and it’s a company that has been around for decades, and we’re looking forward to continuing to provide everyday delicious meals,” he said.

What inspired him to want to open the first Mother’s Xpress franchise was simply Jamaica, he said. “When you think about a unique country in the world, Jamaica comes to mind,” he said.

Now, with two franchise locations, Weir is looking forward to working more with the brand, especially with the planned opening of the St Catherine location.

“The future looks bright,” he said.

More highlights from the opening event.