Starting from a single location in downtown Kingston in 1988, the MasterMac Group of Companies has grown to 15 outlets across Jamaica.

On Thursday, October 16, the distribution and retail company officially opened the MasterMac Food Store on Constant Spring Road in St Andrew in the company of several suppliers, customers and media personnel. The event marked the culmination of a four-year journey to design and construct both the MasterMac Food Store and the MasterMac Supercentre.

At present, the MasterMac Group has five wholesale distribution locations and five supermarkets.

The Constant Spring opening signals the group’s next phase of growth, combining modern retail experiences with its established reputation for affordability and quality. The store also supports the group’s e-commerce platform, www.mastermacfood.com, which allows customers to purchase groceries locally and internationally with in-store prices, pickup, and delivery.

For MasterMac Group Managing Director Raymond McMaster, the new store improves upon the layout and offerings of other locations. “Everyone that we build, or when we’re expanding, is always a better one. So we keep learning from the previous one, and we try and improve on it by building a better and more modern facility,” he told Our Today, adding that the new location is now its largest supermarket.

In addition to off-the-shelf products, the store also incorporated a deli and bakery, which other MasterMac outlets do not have.

McMaster said the family-owned company acquired the land, which was sitting “idle” for some time, due to its central location. The property is close to several major thoroughfares in the Corporate Area, including Dunrobin Avenue, Mannings Hill Road, Shortwood Road, and Grants Pen Avenue.

“When we look at the surrounding area, we thought to ourselves that it would be ideal for a supermarket, and we’re in the food business. So, based on that, that’s how the idea was born, and we are here today,” the managing director shared.

Despite MasterMac Group’s expansion into retail, McMaster noted that its supermarkets also serve as touchpoints for its distribution business.

“We cater to large-scale caterers, small business owners, you name it, you can get from one pound to 10,000 pounds, even a container, which is 40,000 pounds to 50,000 pounds. We are predominantly strong in wholesale, and that’s our core market. We distribute, so that’s our core market. So, we’re actually stronger there than on the retail end,” he explained further.

On the matter of cost, McMaster, when asked about an estimate, said he has lost count as construction costs exceeded the original budget. Embarking on construction during the COVID-19 pandemic, with challenges in supply chain and high inflation, also amplified costs.

“If you understand construction, we get a bill of quantities based on a drawing, and when the construction period starts, year after year, you have the salaries going up, material raised, and then you have changes. When you start, you say, ‘Oh, no! That’s not going to work.’ So you have to change. So I have lost count, and it’s more peaceful now.”