Restaurants of Jamaica invests J$180 million in Portmore Pizza Hut as markets stay active

Restaurants of Jamaica is pressing ahead with local Pizza Hut growth even as parent company Yum Brands sells the brand's global restaurant operations to Long Range Capital for US$2.7 billion amid international challenges.

Mark Myers leads Restaurants of Jamaica, which is investing J$180 million to build a new Pizza Hut in Cumberland, Portmore. The outlet will become the chain's 16th location in Jamaica and its 11th outside Kingston and St. Andrew. The project forms part of a wider J$500 million expansion programme covering Pizza Hut and KFC franchises across the island.

Kingston Creative has launched the Create Tech Incubator, a programme designed to equip early-stage creative entrepreneurs with tools, mentorship and networks to build ventures that use artificial intelligence and new technologies. Delivered under Connect to Caribbean, an initiative of the Caribbean Equity Facility co-funded by IDB Lab and the European Union, the incubator runs from July through November 2026. Over four months, participants will take part in training sessions, mentoring and a demo day covering problem identification, customer discovery, value propositions, business model design and financial sustainability, along with applied training in AI and digital technologies.

For the trading session of 16 June 2026, Kingston Hire Holdings Jamaica Limited was the most actively traded security with 15,557,044 units, representing 32.41% of market sales activity. Jamaica Teas Limited recorded 10,634,939 units, or 22.15%, and Dolla Financial Services Limited traded 6,147,316 units, or 12.81%. Investor activity remained concentrated in distribution and finance names, signalling continued interest in dividend-producing and strategic assets.

Foreign exchange data from the Bank of Jamaica for 17 June 2026 showed significant trading across major currencies. The US dollar sold at J$158.62 and bought at J$157.11, reflecting steady liquidity. The Canadian dollar sold at J$113.32 and bought at J$112.71, with moderate gains on 61-cent transaction spreads. The British pound sold at J$212.46 and bought at J$210.95, with continued volatility offering banks short-term margins of about J$1.51. Those movements underscore how cash flow timing and currency awareness matter for businesses managing import costs, debt servicing or overseas exposure.