Jamaicans Rory Richards and Jermain Morgan have been friends since 2011, when they both lived in Clarendon. Both migrated to the United States and were accustomed to sending remittances to their families in Jamaica.
In 2020, they co-founded GroceryList Jamaica, a company that allows people from anywhere in the world to order groceries for family and friends in Jamaica and have them delivered by local stores. Now the company has been selected as one of 62 semifinalists in the technology category of the Pharrell Williams Black Ambition Awards.
Inspired by personal experience
Founded in 2022, the platform was borne out of a recognised arising out of the COVID-19 lockdowns.
The pair wanted to find a simple solution for persons who were disadvantaged by the lockdown to access their local supermarkets and grocers. As well to provide Jamaicans living in the diaspora an easy way to support their families back home, especially the elderly and persons with medical issues.
Co-founder Rory Richards talked about how he built out the platform ‘on paper’ and sent it to Jermain. After some additional research, GroceryList was born. GoceryList is an all-in-one, on-demand online platform that allows people in the USA, UK, and Canada to shop for food, household, and personal items online for their loved ones back home in Jamaica.
In two short years, the company has expanded its services to Guyana, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti and announced in February 2024 that it will soon allow people to shop online for hardware, pharmaceuticals, and other goods in addition to groceries.
“Phenomenal response” to GroceryList
The response from Jamaican shoppers who live abroad has been “phenomenal,” Morgan said. The online platform has had over $60 million in orders and has some 1,800 shoppers, earning a total of $10 million. GroceryList has also developed partnerships with over 200 local Jamaican merchants and enjoy a 65 percent reorder rate.
GroceryList also attracted investment from the prestigious financial firm, JP Morgan, and a grant from the Development Bank of Jamaica. The company has attracted employees from among Jamaican professionals, including police officers, nurses, and teachers, who work as part-time shoppers.
All the money spent on the platform is spent in Jamaica and contributes to the gig economy, Richards said, adding that the company was not only about making money but about the impact the e-commerce platform would have on real people.
He also wants the company to be “building Brand Jamaica” by offering support “for Jamaicans by Jamaicans” and creating Jamaican jobs while bringing the remittance issue into the Digital Age.
About the Black Ambition Award
Recording artist, producer, songwriter, philanthropist, fashion designer, and entrepreneur Pharrell Williams founded the Black Ambition Award in 2020 as a nonprofit seeking to facilitate success for Black and Latinx entrepreneurs creating businesses in technology, design, healthcare, and consumer products.
The 2024 prize cycle features 250 semifinalists competing for the $1,000,000 prize and a chance to learn from business leaders in several business sectors. Prizes are awarded in cash and investments.
In addition, the semifinalists participate in the Black Ambitions Mentorship Programme, a three-month initiative that offers advanced tools and programming along with strategic connections to support the growth and success of their startups.
