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Progressive Grocers of Jamaica plans to deepen its footprint in St Ann.
The latest project, a proposed 7,607-square metre commercial complex at Windsor Estate received environmental and planning approvals in July from the National Environment and Planning Agency.
The scale of the development – which is roughly the size of a football field – suggests another large-format supermarket, likely a Shoppers Fair or Super Valu, both of which have connections to Progressive Grocers of Jamaica. Windsor Estate is located close to modern shopping and housing developments at Drax Hall.
The group applied for and received two separate environmental planning approvals for the “construction and operation of commercial complexes including shopping centres,” according to proposals to the planning regulator.
The complex, once completed, would mark Progressive’s second location in St Ann, and its 22nd across the country, not counting its seven affiliated supermarkets, based on information on its website.
Multiple calls to Progressive Grocers executives for comment were unanswered. A source close to the company indicated that Super Valu was the likely brand heading to St Ann, although that could not be independently verified.
Progressive Grocers, established in 1999 by founders Sing Chin, Gladstone Loshusan, Ken Loshusan, and Albert ‘Docky’ Lym, has become one of the most expansive grocery groups in Jamaica, encompassing various supermarket brands, namely brands Shoppers Fair, Super Shoppers Fair, Progressive Foods, JR’s Bargain World Food Stores, and D&Y Supermarket Wholesale.
The network currently spans 21 locations – five in St Catherine; four each in Kingston and St James; two each in Clarendon, Manchester and Westmoreland; and one each in St Ann and St Elizabeth.
In addition, the group is also affiliated with high-end retailers such as Sovereign, Loshusan, and John R. Wong supermarkets, giving it a diverse retail footprint.
The St Ann development marks a continuation of the group’s strategy of embedding large supermarkets within affluent communities to attract steady foot traffic from locals and travellers alike. It follows recent planning applications for shopping complexes in Harbour View, Kingston, and Catherine Hall Estate, Montego Bay – each exceeding 5,000 square metres.
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