Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC) wants to expand its flagship brand Jollibee in 300 locations across North America by 2024.
Busy bee: The Philippine company said it is setting up 234 new Jollibee stores in the region, adding to the 66 locations it currently has in 12 U.S. states and four Canadian provinces, reported QSR Magazine.
- Founded in the Philippines in 1978, Jollibee first reached America in 1998 with a store in Daly City, California.
- This year, the brand will open 28 stores, including one in Times Square, another in downtown Chicago and the first Jollibee in downtown Vancouver.
- Jollibee North America President Maribeth Dela Cruz shared that North America will be âa key marketâ as the company envisions becoming one of the top-five restaurant companies in the world. The plan is to penetrate markets where there already exists “a large concentration of Filipino Americans.”
- The largest number of Jollibee stores in the U.S. belongs in California. There are 23 existing branches and five more upcoming branches in the state as it has five of the top-10 metropolitan areas with the largest Filipino population.
Beyond the buzz: Considered one of the fastest-growing Asian restaurant companies globally, JFC has made several noteworthy acquisitions in recent years, reported Esquire.
- In 2018, it bought a majority stake in Smashburger for $100 million.
- In 2019, it purchased The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf for $350 million.
- In the Philippines, JFC operates U.S. brands, Burger King and Panda Express.
Jollibee boasts of a diverse menu for its growing audience. Among its most popular dishes are its fried chicken brand Chicken Joy, its Filipino rice noodle dish Palabok Fiesta and the variety of hamburgers under the Yumburger label.
