Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC) of the Philippines, which has a total of over 3,200 stores worldwide, is planning to open 25 fast food burger and chicken restaurants in the UK over the next five years, as part of a global expansion scheme.
Jollibee is the largest fast food chain in the Philippines,operating over 2,500 outlets in the country: Jollibee brand 950, Chowking 462, Greenwich 239, Red Ribbon 381, Mang Inasal 451 and Burger King 64.
Abroad, the company operates over 670 stores in China, US, Vietnam, Brunei, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Hong Kong, and Singapore.
JFC also has a 50% interest in joint ventures for the following stores: Highlands Coffee (Vietnam, Philippines), Pho (Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia, Korea and Australia), Hotpot (China), and a 40% interest in Smashburger that had 376 outlets, mostly in the US.
These joint ventures have a total of 580 stores worldwide, which are not included in JFC’s consolidated store count.
Jollibee's core product is its fried, battered chicken, which is branded as Chickenjoy. which was introduced in the 1980s. Another main product of the fast food chain is the Yumburger, a hamburger which was introduced in the early operations of Jollibee in the 1970s.
Italian-American cuisine is also served, such as spaghetti, branded as Meatiest, Cheesiest Spaghetti. In the Philippines, Jollibee serves Coca-Cola products for its beverages; in overseas markets, the chain serves Pepsi products.
Founded in 1978, Tony Tan Caktiong and his family opened a Magnolia Ice Cream parlor in Cubao, Quezon City, which is credited as the first Jollibee outlet,
The Magnolia outlets operated by Tan's family began offering hot meals and sandwiches upon request from the customers, which the family found out to be more popular than the franchise' ice cream. So the family decided to cancel the Magnolia franchise and converted the ice cream parlors they operated into fast food outlets.