London, September 2025 — The UK’s number one Caribbean food and drink supplier*, Grace Foods UK, together with its parent company GraceKennedy, is inviting applications for the 2026 GraceKennedy Jamaican Birthright Summer Internship Programme.
The initiative offers UK undergraduates and graduates of Jamaican heritage, aged 18 to 25, the opportunity to embark on a six-week professional and cultural internship in Jamaica next summer. The successful UK candidate will join peers from Canada and the US for a unique placement that combines career development with cultural reconnection.
Launched in 2004, the Birthright Programme has welcomed more than 60 participants to date, immersing them in Jamaica’s civic, cultural, and professional landscapes. Interns are placed across GraceKennedy’s business units while also experiencing curated heritage tours, offering a rich balance of workplace skills and cultural discovery.
“With deep roots in Jamaica and a global presence, GraceKennedy is committed to investing in the next generation of leaders who will carry our nation’s story into boardrooms, classrooms, operating rooms, and creative spaces around the world,” said GK Group CEO, Frank James. “It is about more than visiting Jamaica, it is about experiencing it in a way that builds belonging, pride, and purpose.”
This year’s UK representative, Kyrah McIntosh of Liverpool Hope University, joined four students from the US and Canada on the 2025 programme. Highlights of her placement included meetings with national leaders — among them Prime Minister Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, Governor General His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Linton Allen, and Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade. Alongside these professional experiences, Kyrah and her fellow interns explored Jamaica’s cultural heritage through guided tours, visits to historic landmarks, and hands-on engagement with the island’s traditions.
Applications for the 2026 programme are now open and will close on 30 November 2025. For full details and to apply, visit www.bit.ly/GKBirthright.
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*IRI, 52 w/e 27 January 2024, UK Caribbean ambient food and drink category, value sales.