We may get to see the royal baby enjoying some Chickenjoy or a Peach Mango Pie soon. Jollibee plans to expand operations to Europe, as its Chief Operating Officer, Ernesto Tanmantiong, stated in an interview with the BBC. Jollibee plans to solidify its foothold in North America, before going on to Europe in three years time.
Jollibee’s initial foray into international markets was relatively quiet. Targeting the usual countries that Overseas Filipino Workers could be found in, they managed to open hundreds of stores in North America and the Middle East without too much publicity. These stores have been mostly successful and may have given the company the boost in confidence it needed to open new branches in more countries.
This confidence also translated into a more aggressive campaign for expansion. They recently pushed through with the opening of their flagship store in Singapore amidst a flurry of mixed reactions from the locals. Even with all the negative publicity they got, the same store has now become the company’s most successful branch worldwide. Business has gotten so good there that they’ve also announced their plans to open up a second branch in Singapore.
Jollibee at Lucky Plaza, Singapore.
In their efforts to win diners abroad, Jollibee has been pushing Chickenjoy as the dish believe to be at par with the world’s best. It’s the gateway product they can use to get new people to try their more Filipino products like palabok and the longganisa breakfast meal.
Jollibee’s Chickenjoy.
Europe can prove to be a tricky market for Jollibee as they’re not known to be overly fond of fast food culture. Fortunately, Jollibee can definitely count on the support of the Filipinos there who long for a taste of home. And seeing as how some of its products have been praised by food icons like Anthony Bourdain, it may not be too far fetched to imagine Europeans responding well to Jolibee’s food as well.
Anthony Bourdain in his visit to Jollibee in Koreatown
Are you looking forward to seeing the Bee on your next euro trip? Do you think Europeans will take a liking to Jollibee’s menu? Let us know in the comments!
Image sources: [Jollibee / Wikipedia / rrandommusings /Daniel Food Diary /Ripley News]
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