Gladstone Loshusan

The fifth of nine children was born in Frankfield, Clarendon in 1936. Mr. Loshusan came from meager and humble beginnings. With only a few years of schooling under his belt, his parents sent him and four other siblings to live in China. Mr. Loshusan boarded a ship and sailed for forty-five days until he arrived at his destination. Upon arrival, it became abundantly clear that living in China was going to be a challenge. Gladstone had to learn to speak the local Chinese dialect of Hakka, worked his family’s fields and attended school; all the while trying to navigate this new life while the Chinese civil war was happening.

Mr. Loshusan returned to Jamaica in 1951 and it was then that he was able to apply the work ethic, discipline and knowledge he had learned from his time in China and opened his first “corner shop” on Molynes Road. In the years to follow, Gladstone married, Evadne and they expanded their family with the births of their four children. In 1957, he partnered with his brothers and purchased Tower Grocery. Ten years later, Glady’s brother, Ken was given the opportunity to purchase Sovereign Grocery and unbeknownst to him, this would be the opportunity that would prove to be fruitful. After many years working downtown, Mr. Loshusan decided it was time to move the business uptown. With thirty years of knowledge and experience in the food retail business, in 1984, Gladstone and his brothers acquired the lands on which Sovereign Supermarket and Sovereign Centre now sits and created a retail shopping experience like no other. It was at this location that Sovereign Supermarket would go on to change the face of the industry.

As luck would have it, opportunity came knocking once again in 1999 when four friends were offered a deal of lifetime. It was at that time that Progressive Grocers of Jamaica Ltd. was born. Once formed, PGJ initially acquired the Shoppers Fair chain of supermarkets. Today, it boasts a portfolio of (22) twenty-two supermarkets. Mr. Loshusan is a Director PGJ Ltd., Barlig Investments Company Limited, Vincent Loshusan & Sons Limited, Gerk Ltd. and Coronet Holdings Ltd. Gladstone shows no signs of slowing down and some may say that he is just getting started. Along with running Sovereign Supermarket, he has gone on to expand the Sovereign brand with the building of Sovereign North, Sovereign Commercial Center and Sovereign Village. Gladstone’s hopes that his unwavering love, passion and dedication to the business and industry will pass to his children who will continue to grow the legacy he has built.