Restaurants of Jamaica invests J$180 million in Portmore Pizza Hut amid Yum Brands global sale

Restaurants of Jamaica is moving forward with local Pizza Hut growth even as parent company Yum Brands prepares to sell the brand's international operations, with the global business reportedly going to Long Range Capital for US$2.7 billion amid overseas headwinds.

Led by Mark Meyers, the franchise operator is putting J$180 million toward a new restaurant at Cumberland, Portmore. The outlet will be Jamaica's 16th Pizza Hut and the 11th outside Kingston and St. Andrew. It forms part of a broader J$500 million expansion drive across the group's Pizza Hut and KFC brands.

Kingston Creative has announced the Create Tech Incubator, a programme aimed at early-stage creative entrepreneurs who want tools, mentorship and networks to build impact-driven ventures using artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies. The incubator is delivered through Connect to Caribbean, tied to the Carob Equity Facility co-founded by IDB Lab and the European Union. Running from July through November 2026, it includes training sessions, mentoring and a demo day, covering problem identification, customer discovery, value propositions, business model design, financial sustainability and applied digital skills.

On the Jamaica Stock Exchange for 16 June 2026, Kentire Holdings Jamaica Limited was the most actively traded security with 15,557,444 units, representing 32.41% of market sales activity. Jamaica TE's Limited followed with 10,634,939 units, or 22.15%, while Dollar Financial Services Limited traded 6,147,316 units, or 12.81%. Activity remained concentrated in distribution and finance stocks, signalling continued interest in dividend-paying and strategic holdings.

Foreign exchange trading on 17 June 2026, based on Bank of Jamaica data, showed strong demand 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 J$0.61 transaction spreads. The British pound sold at J$212.46 and bought at J$210.95, with banks capturing about J$1.51 on spreads amid continued volatility. Those movements underline the importance of cash-flow timing and currency awareness for businesses managing import costs, debt servicing or overseas exposure.