I believe that Jollibee had the same idea when they introduced a host of changes to their business beginning in 1994. These changes were mostly focused on creating more structure and taking advantage of more resources. First of all, they hired Tony Kitchner, the first outsider vice-president to handle their international operations. This was a key move to separate Jollibee International from Jollibee Philippines. They introduced FSM’s, known as Franchise Services Managers to help keep their franchise owners abreast of the new changes. These changes were aimed at creating a “world class” view, and you could see some of the changes visibly through the newly differentiated logo to the new packaging. They also instituted a dress code change as well as began to recruit from outside.

Overall, these changes certainly kept Jollibee ahead of the game, as 10 years in the future, their success would be so great as to garner the Entrepreneur of the Year Award by Ernst & Young for founder Tony Tan Caktiong.

Read more about Jollibee Corporation in the Philippines.

Learn some more at Jollibee Philippines.

Despite his success with the ice cream parlors, Tony didn’t stop there. He looked around the world and saw the kind of success chains like McDonalds were having. Instead of opening a franchise for an existing fast food chain like Burger King or Wendy’s, he decided to expand with the opening of his own chain of hamburger-serving fast food restaurants named Jollibee in 1978.

Since McDonald’s hadn’t yet entered into the Philippines, Tony capitalized on this fact by establishing his brand among the Filipino people. Instead of trying to learn everything from scratch, Tony traveled to the United States to learn the tricks of the trade from the already established chains such as McDonalds. By implementing these tried and true business practices back in the Phlippines, Tony’s hard work began to pay off when his business began to rapidly expand. The division of Jollibee Philippines really tries to serve the specific needs of the Filipino people and its culture by focusing its product development as well as its marketing and advertsing to target the unique and traditional Filipino family.

Today Tony Tan Caktiong serves as a success story and a role model for entreprenuers around the world. This was solified in 2004 when Tony was voted the Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young. The chairman of Ernst and Young, James S. Turley said, “These awards are about celebrating global entrepreneurship and the desire to continually innovate and expand. Tony’s story is a truly inspirational one, on both these counts. We are delighted he has been selected to receive this year’s award.”

Interested in more? Read about the History of Jollibee in the Philippines.

Don’t forget to check out more at Jollibee Philippines.

Acquistions in the Philippines

The corporation is actually known as Jollibee Foods Corporation. Oh and if you thought that Jollibee was the only fast food chain operated by this coporation, boy are you in for a surprise. To me, it seems like JFC owns a majority stake in all of the Filipino fast food niches. Do you ever eat at Chow King? I know I love the halo-halo there, but did you know that in the year 2000, JFC acquired Chowking! That’s right, all the delicious oriental style fast food from Chow King is operated at a high level by the same corporation as Jollibee. Oh and that’s not all. Seems like Jollibee Foods Corporation has the idea that diversification is key to its future, and I think they’re on the right track. JFC also bought out the popular fast food pizza restaurant known as Greenwich Pizza. Additionally, in 2005, Red Ribbon Bakery became part of JFC. Keeping with the baking theme, JFC acquired the French cafe and bakery known as Delifrance. The division of JFC that handles business inside of the Philippines is known as Jollibee Philippines.

Acquisitions outside of the Philippines

JFC has holdings in several other Asian countries including China and Taiwan. There’s a Chinese fast food chain named Yonghe King in mainland China (based in Shanghai) that is owned and operated by JFC. Another Chinese restaurant chain named Hongzhuangyuan was acquired on September 21, 2007. This chain has 33 locations in Beijing and was purchased for the amount of US $50.5 million.

Wow! I sure was surpised when I learned about all those acquisitions. It’s interesting to note that when I walk into any of the chains above that they’re owned and operated by the same corporation. I’m glad that Jollibee has a great track record with the Filipino community and that in addition to the amazing Jollibee stores in the Philippines, they can offer us a variety of  different foods ranging from pizza, oriental food, coffee and baked goods. Yum!

Want to read more about the History of Jollibee in the Philippines?

Don’t miss more at Jollibee Philippines.

Keep it in the Family

Focusing on the cultural tradition of the importance of family values, they have made a concerted effort to make sure that Filipinos associate Jollibee with a wholesome family meal. Not so much wholesome in the nutritional sense (it is fast food overall), but wholesome meaning that feeling you get inside your heart when you watch a “perfect” nuclear family with two parents, one boy and one girl enjoy the deliciousness of ChickenJoy on TV. Jollibee is targeting two areas: both the pallete as well as the heart. As you watch the young boy excitedly bite into his Yumburger with his insatiable appetite and his mother looking on with a friendly smile as she has french fries in her hands, you’re transpoorted to this magical fantasyland. You want to be part of that family. You want your family to be like that family. And in addition to all this, you want to go to Jollibee and eat a Yumburger. It might be a stretch to say that people will think that by going to Jollibee, their family can somehow transform and conform to this social norm.

In the Real World 

And yet, when you walk into a Jollibee, you look around and many times that’s what you see: Filipino families congregating and enjoying their meal together. So what’s this say about the advertising? Is it effective advertising? I would argue that it is, but let’s not confuse correllation with causation. But at the end of the day, Jollibee keeps selling Yumburgers and ChickenJoy, so they must be doing something right with their advertising.

The Secret?

I believe it’s that intangible factor that their targeting in a person’s heart which makes it so successful. Remember that one commercial when the boy takes his mother to the local Jollibee and then he says that one day he’ll take her to Jollibee Hong Kong? That commercial is an example of successful advertising in multiple levels. It demonstrates the family value of caring for one’s parents today. It also sends the message about taking care of them in the future. Yet, not only is the boy promising mere local fast food, but he takes it to the next level by saying he will take her to Jollibee Hong Kong which resonates with each person’s internal desire for upward mobility.

In the end, it’s clear that the advertisers at Jollibee have been doing their research and know the Filipino culture very well. In addition to knowing the culture, I would go so far as to say they are contributing to the culture and changing it at the same time, something not many companies can say. Now the trick will be to see how successful Jollibee International can be by learning how to cater to a country’s niche food desires the way Jollibee Philippines has.

Want to know more? Read about the: History of Jollibee in the Philippines.

Still curious? Learn more about Jollibee Philippines. 

Now what does this have to do with Jollibee in the Philippines? Well, many would attribute Jollibee’s success in the Philippines to its mascot, sharing the same name as the franchise: the Jollibee. Is it a coincidence that Jollibee chose its mascot to be bright yellow and red as well? Perhaps not - as gaudy as those colors may seem, they are more than vibrant enough to catch the eye’s attention. These colors exposed to children who grow up on Jollibee begin a lifelong association of bright yellow and red with delicious, affordable and fast food. Reminiscent of the memorable flavors of popular condiments for hamburgers (or Yumburgers) and hot dogs, the yellow and red bee named Jollibee is dressed in a chef’s hat along with a shirt and blazer.

Jollibee’s smiling face is friendly enough to be a favorite among kids, and his face is prevalent in many locations that include playrooms for children. Clearly, this cartoon figure is aimed at the younger generation, but it does not alienate the older generation, especially these days, when many of us have grown up eating Jollibee. It’s easy to say that this figure has been pivotal in the branding and marketing efforts that have led to such success in the Philippines.

Read more about the History of Jollibee in the Phillippines.

There’s even more to learn at Jollibee Philippines.

As mentioned in our article History of Jollibee in the Philippines, we know that Jollibee originated in the Philippines, specifically in Cubao, Quezon City. Though it was such a modest beginning, and remember that the original shops used to only serve ice cream (pretty hard to imagine, isn’t it? I know I think of so much more than ice cream when I think of Jollibee), these two locations in Quezon City with the humble precursors to arguably the most successful fast food franchise in the history of the entire Philippines. Today, Jollibee has over 600 locations in the Philippines, and over 30 locations in other countries around the world. Where exactly are all these locations? Well, we can’t answer that question for every single on of the locations, but this article will explore some of the Jollibee locations both in the Philippines and around the world.

Where is Cubao, Quezon City? Well to answer this question, let’s look at the Philippines as a whole. The Philippines is located in the Pacific Ocean, southeast of mainland China and northeast of Indonesia. Taiwan is north of the Philippines and Vietnam is west of the Philippines. Now, zooming in on the Philippines itself, it is a country of over 5,000 islands, the largest of which is Luzon. Within Luzon, the most metropolitan area is known as Metro Manila. Metro Manila is made up of several cities, the largest of which is known as Quezon City, making up almost a quarter of the land area of Metro Manila. Cubao is a significant neighborhood within Quezon City, mostly for commerical reasons. Because of its many shops, it has been compared by some to the Madison Square Area in New York City. Still with me? Well, hopefully now you know a little more about where all the greatness that is Jollibee started, and now we look at where else it’s expanded to.

To begin, lets look at where Jollibee locations are inside of the Philippines. The major areas where Jollibee exists are:

• North Luzon

• South Luzon

• Metro Manila

• Mindanao

• Visayan Islands

Some notable cities include: Makati, Malabon, Antipolo, Bacoor, Davao, Iligan, Bacolod, Cebu City and Baguio.

  Now, let’s explore where Jollibee is outside of the Philippines. There are locations in the following places:

• United States

• Brunei

• Guam

• Saipan

• Hong Kong

• Vietnam

Some notable stores from these areas include stores in San Jose, California and also a new Jollibee in Las Vegas, Nevada! Within Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City, Jollibee boasts locations in areas such as  Saigon Superbowl and Thuan Kieu Plaza.

Now that you know about the locations, learn more about Food at Jollibee in the Philippines.

Find out even more about Jollibee Philippines.

To begin our series, we started with Food at Jollibee in the Philippines - Part 1: Traditional American Food , including burgers, chicken and more. Then, we moved on to Food at Jollibee in the Philippines - Part 2: Traditional Filipino Food, including an assortment of noodles and the staple rice dishes. Now in Part 3, we get to the really good stuff: Breakfast and Desserts.

Breakfast: The Most Important Meal of the Day

Now there’s nothing better than eggs and rice combined with some type of Filipino-style breakfast meat. And that’s exactly what Jollibee has to offer. On one hand we have the special sweet sausage known as Longganisa served with a fried egg and side of fried rice. On the other hand we have my personal favorite breakfast: Corned Beef with a fried egg and fried rice. These two are easily my favorites, but let’s not forget the beef side of things. Jolibee also offers the beef tapa with side of rice as well as the burger steak, but dressed up in breakfast form. If you prefer a hot dog for breakfast instead, you also have that choice. Now to go back to the American side of the kitchen, Jollibee serves Breakfast Joys pancakes. Not quite the International House of Pancakes, but if you want a sweet morning sensation, you’ve found a winner!

Desserts: The Final Say

Keeping in their tradition of creative branding of their food, Jollibee has deemed desserts “Jolly Zerts.” Now this section makes me recall my childhood memories of stopping at DQ for blizzards and sundaes. For those of you unfamiliar with DQ, I’m talking about the great American chain known as Dairy Queen. To start with the basics, Jollibee offers simple soft serve ice cream with a variety of toppings: chocolate syrup, brownie chunks and caramel bars. Now to get a bit more Filipino, they also offer “Ice Craze” which is basically rebranded “Halo-Halo” (no not the video game), but the traditional Filipino shaved ice dessert. You can get the Ice Craze with corn and cornflakes or with the beautifully purple ube and cheese. Personally, I don’t eat things purple, but I know that ube is hugely popular in the Philippines.

Wrap-Up

Well, that pretty much does it for our 3 part series. I don’t know about you, but writing all this made me pretty hungry. Hopefully if you’re reading this, you’re close enough to your local Jollibee to satisfy that hybrid American-Filipino appetite of yours!

Ever wonder about the Success Story of Jollibee in the Philippines?

Read more about Jollibee Philippines.

In the first part of this three-part series, Food at Jollibee in the Philippines - Part 1: Traditional American Food, we explored how the food at Jollibee is so so similar to fast food in America. Now we present the other side of the coin, part of the fast food paradox that is known as the menu of Jollibee in the Philippines. It’s what makes it unique, stand out to its customers, and what makes it so memorable for those who visit the Philippines. At least it was the case for me.

Noodles

In Filipino culture, noodles are a signifcant part of the diet. Of course they provide necessary carbohydrates to power the body, in addition to symbolizing long life for the length of the noodle, but without noodles, there could never exist the amazingness known as the Jolibee Spagetti! Spaghetti in a fast food restaurant?! That’s right - but don’t knock it until you try it. This classic is a favorite among Filipinos, along with the Palabok Fiesta - which is the fast food version of Pancit Palabok - a traditional dish featuring palabok sauce, pork chicharon, pork, shrimp, and sliced eggs.

Rice Meals

Even more important to Filipinos than noodles is the most vital staple to most east asian countries: rice. You can basically eat rice with anything - even burgers. So why even mess with a silly bun of bread - just take the burger patty, throw it on some rice and add some special sauce. It’s so simple and yet so beautiful: the Jollibee Burger Steak rice dish. But wait, there’s more! We’re not simply limited to beef patty’s, but imagine this: a crispy chicken patty served over rice with the same magical sauce. That’s right, and now you have experienced all the mouth-watering deliciousness of the Jollibee Crispy Chicken Steak.

What Else is There?

It would be tragic to stop here, so in addition to Part 1: Traditional American Food, and this part on Traditional Filipino Food, we’ll wrap up this series with my personal favorite: Breakfast and Deserts! Don’t miss out and be sure to check out Food at Jollibee in the Philippines - Part 3: Breakfast and Desserts.

Read more about Jollibee Advertising in the Philippines.

Check out more info on Jollibee Philippines.

The food at Jollibee is definitely an interesting combination of both American and Filipino food fused together for a unique experience for your taste buds. Walking in to Jollibee as an American, everything seems normal as far as fast food chains go. Everything you see, smell and hear seems like the ordinary American fast food experience, as if you’re in a McDonalds, Wendy’s or Jack in the Box. Well, I suppose all the Tagalog you hear around you probably reminds you that you’re still in the Philippines. But in reality, there’s much more than meets the eye - or taste buds. In this first part of a three part series, we’ll explore the American side of the menu.

Burgers

The classic fast food item in America is the hamburger. At McDonalds, we know them simply as “hamburgers” and “cheeseburgers.” At Jollibee, they brand them uniquely as “Yumburgers,” and come in your typical varieties: basic (meat only with special sauce), with cheese, and with cheese, lettuce and tomato. They also come in a larger version, known as the “Champ” which consists of a 1/3 pound beef patty. Other varations on the traditional beef burger is the Crispy Chicken Burger and Spicy Crispy Chicken Burger - reminiscent of the Jack in the Box’s Spicy Crispy Chicken Sandwich (now known as Jack’s Spicy Chicken).

Chicken

Probably the best known chicken franchise in America is KFC. No, it no longer can stand for Kentucky Fried Chicken (is it because what they serve is no longer qualified as ‘chicken’?), but still only as KFC. Fried chicken is staple of Jollibee in the Philippines as well. Using their typical clever branding, Jollibee has created “ChickenJoy.” It comes in two flavors: original and spicy, and can be served with a side of mashed potatoes and gravy. Additionally, you can order buckets of ChickenJoy for the whole family. Never has so much nutrition been available in a bucket.

Other Food

As far as other traditional American fast food, Jollibee offers the best meal one can get at a summer baseball game: the hot dog. It’s pretty basic but in addition to the typical ketchup, it includes a “cheese-based topping” and grated cheese. And to go with all this food, the sides available at Jollibee include classic French Fries (chili and cheese fries are also an option) and Nachos. Basically, it’s starting to feel like a hybrid of McDonalds, Jack in the Box, Arby’s and Taco Bell - some of my favorite U.S. based fast food restaurants.

Is that all?

Oh no, we’re only getting started with the basics of Jollibee food. There’s a whole new realm of food experience that we’ll explore in the next part: Food at Jollibee in the Philippines - Part 2: Traditional Filipino Food. 

After that, we’ll move on to Food at Jollibee in the Philippines - Part 3: Breakfast and Desserts. 

Learn more about Jollibee Philippines.

According the the official Jollibee website, in less than 10 years, in 1984, Jollibee reached the 500 million piso sales milestone. Another 5 years later in 1989, Jollibee accomplished another amazing feat - reaching the 1 billion piso sales mark - and being the first fast food chain in the Phlippines to do so. Other notable accomplishments include becoming  part of the top 100 corporations in the Philippines in 1987, and becoming the first food service company to be listed in the Philippine Stock Exchange. The prestigious award of “World Entreprenuer of the Year” was given to founder Tony Tan Caktiong in 2004 for the inspiring work he’s done. Additionally, the Far Eastern Economic Review has judged Jollibee as “The Most Admired Company” in the Philippines over the last 6 years.

What’s the secret to the success of Jollibee? Is it the creative marketing and unique branding they’ve pioneered in the the realm of fast food? Is it the focus on traditional Filipino culture and the fact that they try to still seem a “local favorite” despite the fact that they’re the nation’s most prevalent restaurant? I’d say it’s a combination of all these things and more. Jollibee has indeed revolutionized the fast food industry in the Philippines. Today they satisfy the apetites of Filipinos everywhere with 600 stores in the Philippines and over 30 international stores.

Taste the flavors of Food at Jollibee in the Philippines.

Get more information on Jollibee Philippines.