Island Grill held the grand opening of its 17th location on Wednesday, April 10, in New Brunswick Village, Spanish Town in St. Catherine.

The New Brunswick Village location is the company’s sixth drive-through and boasts modern architecture embodying the core principles of the brand.

“Island Grill is a Jamaican success story built on a very important part of our culture – the way we prepare and consume our food.” She said the company’s daily business provides “an authentic cultural experience while at the same time stimulating economic development,” said Grange.  

“I commend Island Grill on this important investment. You couldn’t have chosen a better part of town. I see this as an investment towards increasing the intrinsic value of our culture,” she added.

Grange also commended Island Grill founder Thalia Lyn and her team for their hard work, dedication to the nation, and business insight. 

Island Grill Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Tania Waldron-Gooden says, “New Brunswick Village has already made quite a mark as “one of our highest performing stores to date.”

“Island Grill has endeared itself in the hearts of Jamaicans as a company that celebrates our language, family, distinct cuisine, and culture, as is reflected in the dishes and décor of the company,” she continued.  

Speaking to the company’s core values of respect, wholesomeness, and family, Chairman of the Island Grill Board of Management, Howard Mitchell, said, “It is our hope that what we can do internally and externally is set an example by our treatment of each other, our stakeholders and customers with loving kindness, respect and equity [and] that it will catch a fire in the country.”

Mitchell also called for a return to the “core values that make a society work, function and be productive.”

Speaking at the grand opening ceremony, suppliers Best Dressed Chicken, represented by brand manager Arielle Oliver, echoed the celebration of the expansion of the Island Grill into Spanish Town.

“As you embark on this new chapter know that the Best Dressed Chicken will be with you every step of the way. We are excited to see this new location thrive and inspire many, many happy customers,” Ms. Oliver said noting the partnership between the companies is fueled by “our shared commitment to excellence from farm to table,” said Oliver.

Morris Nelson, Scotiabank director and head of its corporate and commercial banking centre, said the opening represented a celebration of the indomitable spirit of the company.

“We are proud of the partnership journey and the projects that we have supported for Island Grill. The unveiling of Island Grill New Brunswick is tangible evidence of Scotia Bank’s commitment to supporting women-owned and led businesses with funding from our Scotia Bank Women Initiative,” he said.

“The growth and success of Island Grill should come as no surprise to those of us who have been exposed to the values on which the company is built and the high standards to which the owners and management hold themselves accountable these are standards of quality, commitment to the environment and the wider community, values to which we are aligned at Scotia Bank and which make or break partnerships,” he continued.

Island Grill was established by Thalia Michael Lyn and David Mcrae. Its operations are supported by the GraceKennedy Group Limited; Wisynco Group Limited; Rainforest Caribbean; Best Dressed Chicken and Caribbean Broilers Group Limited. To date, the company’s staff count stands at 800.

Check out more photos from the event below: