ChinLASCELLES Chin's LASCO Group of Companies has purchased the old Guinness building located at Central Village, St. Catherine at a total cost, including refurbishment, of $200 million.
The Red Hills Road operation will remain but the consumer division will move to the new premises.
The company, specialises in both food products and pharmaceutical distribution. The strategic move is an attempt to focus equally on both divisions. Among the company's most popular products is the Lasco soya milk substitutes. Lasco has been aggressively expanding and attacked profitable niche territory traditionally filled by Grace, Kennedy & Company.
LASCO's managing director Patrick Lawrence said: "From January 2, 2001 our consumer division will be based at the old Guinness building, which we have purchased from Desnoes & Geddes (D&G). Our Pharmaceutical division will remain at 27 Red Hills Road, St. Andrew. This now means that in the medium to long term we are well placed to meet our customers needs."
The company has now completed the re-furbishing of the building and is now undertaking its outdoor landscaping. The 100,000 square foot building sits on 25 acres of land.
Mr. Chin and former wife Audrey set up the business in 1986 under the name Versatile Packaging Ltd. The company was renamed Lasco Foods Limited in 1992
