LEADERSHIP
34
Filipino fast food company Jollibee Foods Corporation ( JFC ) has enjoyed a meteoric rise since its birth as an ice cream parlour in 1975 . As of this year , Jollibee ’ s internationally recognised brand has a foothold in several markets around the world , including the US , Canada , the UK , Saudi Arabia , Kuwait , Vietnam , Hong Kong , Brunei and Qatar . The firm operates 14 brands and 4,300 outlets across 20 countries , and its ambitions have yet to lose any momentum . Its aggressive expansion programme saw a year of milestones in 2018 , with Jollibee opening its first European restaurant in Milan and later breaking ground in Macau , London , Toronto , and New York ’ s Manhattan . Jollibee also opened its hundredth Vietnamese store in early 2018 , making it one of the country ’ s fastestgrowing restaurant chains . JFC spoke with Business Chief to discuss the roots of this success , the sustained policies that continue to strengthen its brands , and its plans for the future .
“ Our dream has been getting bigger – we wanted to become the biggest in the Philippines and once we achieved that , we wanted to become the largest in Asia ,” JFC says . “ When we became the largest Asian restaurant company in the world , we sought to dream bigger . Today , our dream is to become
“ Today , our dream is to become one of the top five restaurant companies in the world ”
— Jollibee Foods Corporation
MARCH 2019