Jollibee has been around for ages and time will be the proof that it is very profitable. All the investors and franchisee of this name has been wealthy because of it. But now, jollibee will be closing its doors for franchise. Rumor has it that the quality of jollibee franchise has been deteriorating because of poor management of franchise owners. So they decided to open the stocks for public. No franchise no more. Just stocks.
Now, if you are one of the people who wants to franchise jollibee but now problematic and looking for alternative. We recommend the list of 8 best franchises in the Philippines at Franchise Philippines.org. It is a great list to get you started and hopefully decide on what franchise to choose.
News has it that Jollibee, the most love fast food chain in the Philippines, will be closing its branches in Saipan due to the global economic crisis. Full story below by Saipan Tribune.
YCO Corp. has decided not to renew its franchise agreement with Jollibee Foods Corp. and will close the last Jollibee store in the Marianas next month.
The company’s general manager, Ralph Yumul, said the island’s unstable economic climate forced the family-owned business to end its relationship with the Philippines’ largest food company.
“This past year we just saw the [sales] trend going down. Initially, we were juggling with the decision whether to renew the franchise or not and go for another year, knowing some months will incur losses,” he said. “We wanted to continue operating Jollibee in hopes of a rebound in the economy, but after witnessing the world economy collapse, the high cost of doing business, coupled with the closure of all garment companies and some local establishment on Saipan, the family decided to cut its losses and conserve the resources we have for the near future.”
Yumul said the company’s decision to close Jollibee Garapan took a lot of factors into consideration.
“We reviewed the sales this past year. The indicators and reports of increased costs of doing business here in the CNMI, uncertainty in the economy both locally and federally, and the repatriation of guest workers in the CNMI is now on the rise, and is no longer viable to operate [Jollibee],” he said.
August 2009 would’ve marked the 10-year anniversary of YCO’s franchise agreement with Jollibee Philippines.
“We’re not really making money anymore. We’ve been struggling about the decision to close it since January 2008. However, due to our desire to prove a gathering place for the Filipinos, especially the kids, we decided to continue the operations. Last November, we finally decided to shut down in February. We didn’t announce it immediately because we didn’t want to lower the morale of our employees.”
Yumul added that the rise of cheaper dining alternatives on Saipan also affected the local Jollibee store’s sales.
The fastfood chain used to have three outlets in the Marianas-two on Saipan and one in Guam. Guam closed a couple years ago, while Jollibee Chalan Kanoa shut down in July 2004.
Yumul said he is sad to see Jollibee buzz away toward the sunset.
“We had a good franchise. YCO Corp. prides itself in our business relationships. If we agree on a venture we will hold our end of the deal and not drop it in the middle of the game. We’ve been involved with it for so long and it’s hard to let go but this business cycle has come full circle,” he said.
Asked what YCO Corp. plans for the site soon to be orphaned by Jollibee, Yumul only said, “As for the future, we will leave our options open.”
Jollibee Philippines has been there with us through the years and I can still remember how happy I was when I ate my first chicken joy. Through the years, Jollibee Philippines have been awarded and recognized, lets take a look and a blast from the past.
2005
“Best at Consumer Goods” in Asia’s Best Managed Companies 2005 poll survey by Euromoney Magazine Recognized by Forbes Asia Magazine as one of the 200 “Best Under a Billion” companies in Asia
2004
Tony Tan Caktiong, CEO & President of Jollibee Food Corporation, was awarded 2004 World Entrepreneur of the Year by Earnst & Young
The Most admired corporation in the Philippines by Asian Wall Street Journal Revoiew 200 (formerly Far Eastern Economic Review 200) for 7 consecutive years (1998-2004)
2003
The Most Admired Corporation in the Philippines by the Far Eastern Economic Review for 6 consecutive years (1998-2003)
The Asia Money Magazine adjudged JFC as the country’s “Best Small Company” based on market capitalization for 2 consecutive years (2002-2003)
2002
The Asia Money Magazine adjudged JFC as “Best in Operational Efficiency” based on the financial rations
“Management Man of the Year” - Tony Tan Caktiong by MAP
2001
Recognized as one of the “Top 20 Best Employers in Asia” and the Number 1 in the Philippines by Hewitt Associated and the Asian Wall Street Journal
Cited as Best Employer in the Phils. Ranked # 16- Best Employers in Asia
Listed as Asia’s Most Admired Companies:
No.1 Philippine Company
No.1 Consumer Company in Asia
No.1 in Contribution to Society
No.1 Growth Potential
Listed among Asia’s Top Ten (Quality of Products and services, Quality of Management and Honesty and Ethics)
Top Philippine Company - REVIEW 2000 (3rd straight year)
Ranked #1 - Innovative in Responding to Customer Needs
Ranked #1 - Company that Others try to Emulate
Ranked #2 - High Quality services / Products
Ranked #3 - Management has long Term Vision
Ranked #5 - Financial Soundness
2000
No.3 Overall Ranking in Asia (surpassed only by General Electric and Microsoft) - Asia Business Magazine
1999 Grand Anvil Award for “Sabi ng Jollibee, ‘Kaya Mo, Kid!’” - Public Relations Society of the Phils.
Award Excellence, Public Affairs Programs for Arts and Culture for “Sabi ng Jollibee… ‘Kaya Mo, Kid!’”
Values Advertising Award for “Buhay Linggo” TV campaign - Phil. Association of National Advertisers
Outstanding Fast-Food Chain - Consumer’s Union of the Philippines (11th ANCA)
Best TV Commercial “Buhay Linggo” TVC 45s/30s - Catholic Mass Media Awards
Best Print Ad “Patawad Po” Print Ad - Araw Values Awards
Licensee of the Year - First FILSCAP Awards
Outstanding Filipino Franchise of the Year (Hall of Fame Awardee) - Philippine Franchise Association, Dept. of Trade & industry & The Philippine Chamber of Commerce & Industry
1999
Lifetime Achievement Award - Tony Tan Caktiong by Across
#3 Most Admired Company 1999 - Asian Business
#19 Products and Services
#14 Management
Outstanding Fastfood Chain - Consumers Union of the Philippines
“Bed” and “Banana” TVCs - PANA Monthly Award for May
“Banana” KMK TVC - Ad of the Month - Creative Guild
“Dangal ng Bayan” Awardee for Outstanding Food Chain Company - Parangal ng Bayan Awards, Golden Mother and Father Foundation in Cooperation with Who’s who in Nation Building
No.1 in Over-all Leadership
-Ranked #1 - innovative in Responding to customer needs
-Ranked #1 - companies that Others try to emulate
-Ranked #2 - high quality services/Products
-Ranked #5 - long term vision
Review 200, Far Eastern Economic Review
Outstanding Franchise of the Year - Philippine Franchise Association, Dept. of Trade and Industry & The Phil. Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Outstanding Filipino Franchise of the Year - Philippine Franchise Association
Anvil Award of Excellence (Arts and Culture) and Grand Anvil award for the “Kaya Mo Kid!” campaign - Public Relations Society of the Philippines
#1 Best Asian Company in the Food, drink and tobacco category #2 Company in the Philippines - Euromoney
Citation for providing requirements for accessibility of persons with disability (PWD’s) and Inter-Agency Committee on Accessibility - National Council for the Welfare of Disabled Persons (NCWDP)
“Outstanding fastfood chain” 11th Annual Consumers Awards - Consumers Union of the Phils.
Outstanding Filipino Franchise of the Year (Franchise Hall of Fame) - Phil. Franchise Association
Licensee for the Year 1999 awardee - Filipino Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers Inc. (FILSCAP)
Jollibee has been awarded “Best at Consumer Goods”
1998
Asian Business names Jollibee the Top Company in the Philippines and the Top Retail/Consumer Company in the Region. The publication also places Jollibee within the top ten in the following categories: Ability to cope with regional economic instability (No. 4), profitability in the future (No. 8), potential for growth (No.
and quality of management (No. 10). Jollibee is the only Philippine company that figured in the above categories.
Jollibee is no.1 in Asia according to the Far Eastern Economic Review (FEER)
“Employer Of The Year”
Values Advertising Award for “Kaya Mo Kid” TV campaign - Philippine Association of National Advertisers
Listed as one of Asia’s Most Admired Companies by Asia Business Magazine
- No. 1 Philippine Company
- No. 1 Retail and Consumer Company in Asia
No. 1 in Over-all Leadership by Review 200, Far Eastern Economic Review
- Ranked #1 - innovative in responding to customer needs
- Ranked #1 - companies that others try to emulate
- Ranked #2 - high quality services / Products
- Ranked #2 - long term vision
Anvil Award of Excellence for Institutional Advertising - 34 Anvil Awards, Public Relations Society of the Philippines
Araw Values Award for “Centennial” Printed (Branded Ad) Love of Country and Respect for National Customs and Traditions - Araw Values Awards
Araw Values Award for “Halik” Radio (Branded Ad) Love of Country and Respect for National Customs and Traditions - Araw Values Awards
Creative’s Choice for Radio Ad of the Year for “Monks” radio commercial
1997
Jollibee is named Most Outstanding Fastfood Chain during the 9th Annual National Consumers Awards organized by the Consumers Union of the Philippines.
Jollibee is cited by the “Sagip Pasig Movement” as one of the most improved companies with its implementation of wastewater treatment and other measures to protect the environment.
Far Eastern Economic Review 200 ranks Jollibee 2nd in Overall Leadership in the Philippines as Asia’s Most Admired Company; 3rd in the Philippines for high quality services and products; 1st in the Philippines for innovativeness in responding to customer needs; and 2nd in the Philippines for companies that others try to emulate.
World Economic Forum recognizes Jollibee as the Top-Performing Global Growth Company from Asia.
Asian Business ranks Jollibee 4th in all of Asia as Asia’s Most Admired Companies.
Ranked #2 in Far Eastern Economic Review Annual Review 200 - Far Eastern Economic Review
4th Most Admired Company in Asia - Asia Business Magazine
15th place in “Asia’s 50 Most Competitive Companies” survey - Asia Inc.
Adjudged as one of the “Most Improved Companies” - Sagip Pasig Movement
Most Outstanding New Product of the Year (for Banana Langka Pie) - Food Technologists Association of the Philippines
Jollibee has been named as one of the 200 “Best Under a Billion” companies in Asia
1996
9th International Food Award from El Comestible in Barcelona, Spain
Jollibee makes it anew to the Forbes stellar list of world’s 200 best small companies. Far Eastern Economic Review names Jollibee among the top 200 Filipino companies. It ranks Jollibee as No. 2 in overall leadership and No. 1 in innovativeness in responding to consumer needs. It also lists Jollibee No. 4 among Asia’s most admired companies and No. 2 in the retail and consumer industry. The Far Eastern Economic Review and the Asian Institute for Management Award for General Management also recognize Jollibee with this year’s Asian Management Award for General Management. Jollibee is named Agora Awardee for Marketing Company of the Year in the service sector by the Philippine Marketing Association. Forbes Magazine names Jollibee among the World’s 200 Best Small Companies.
Asia Inc. ranks Jollibee among Asia’s 50 Most Competitive Companies (No. 15 overall and No. 1 in the Philippines).
Included in the 200 Best Small Companies - Forbes Magazine
1995
Asia Business ranks Jollibee as the 7th most Admired Company in the region. Far Eastern Economic Review ranks Jollibee as the second-leading company in the Philippines Forbes includes Jollibee in its survey of the top 100 Companies Outside the United States. Jollibee recieves the Presidential Citation in the annual Golden Shell Export Awards in recognition of its penetration of the international market. (Given by the Department of Industry)
General Management Award 1995 Management Awards of Asia - Asian Institute of Management
1994
Ranked #2 in Far Eastern Economic Review Annual review 200 - Far Eastern Economic Review
Most Outstanding Food Chain For 1994 - Consumer’s Union of the Philippines
1993
Far Eastern Review ranks Jollibee as #1 company in terms of being innovative in responding to customer needs
1991
“Lola” TV commercial wins the Grand Araw Award and a second award for promoting Filipino Values from the Philippine Ad Congress.
Jollibee wins and award for Outstanding Corporate Safety Consciousness Programs from the Safety Organization of the Philippines.
1990
Tony Tan is named the Triple A Award winner by the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) as Outstanding Alumnus.
Jollibee wins award as the Best Company in the field of Marketing Management from AIM and World Executive Management.
1989
Philippine Ad Congress names “Balut” and “Ligaw” commercials the Kidlat Award winner for the year in the Service and Leisure Products category.
1988
Tony Tan is named one of the Ten Outstanding Manilans.
Jollibee’s campaign for Filipino Talents wins an Anvil Award from the Public Relations Society of the Philippines.
1987
Jollibee breaks into the magic circle as one of the Top 100 Philippine Corporations.
1986
Jollibee wins the 9th International Food Award from El Comestible in Barcelona, Spain.
Philippine Marketing Association names Jollibee President Tony Tan winner of the Agora Award for entrepreneurship.
Jollibee makes it to the Top 200 Philippine Corporations.
1985
9th Philippine Advertising Congress cites “Langhap-Sarap” as the most effective campaign in the food category.
1984
Jollibee listed as one of the Top 500 Philippine Corporations.
Jollibee Mascot Songs win a gold Record from WEA.
1981
Jollibee listed as one of the Top 1,000 Philippine Corporations.
Success in any industry is acheived by a variety of factors, amount of capital, market segment targeting, values held by company founders and the type of people who are hired has a big impact as well. Still, something that many companies lack to take them to the next level is the organizational structure that allows the right people to be in the right place. There’s a saying that goes: First you gotta have the right people on the bus. Then you gotta make sure each person on the bus is sitting the right seat that’s designed specifically for their unique strengths. Only then do you worry about where the bus is going.
I believe that Jollibee Philippines 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 Philippines 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 Philippines 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.
In the Philippines, the term fast food is pretty much synonymous with the Jollibee Philippines brand. It took more than just one man for it to become that way, but all it took to start was a man name Tony Tan Caktiong. The humble beginning for Tony was working with his father to operate a kitchen in Fujian, China. In 1975, Tony began his entreprenuerial journey with simply a pair of two ice cream parlors in Cubao, Quezon City.
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 Philippines 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.”
When I think of Jollibee Philippines, usually all I can think about is the mouth watering Yumburgers or ChickenJoy. But in reality, it takes so much more than just food to make Jollibee Philippines. If you’re curious about business operations for both the Jollibee Philippines division as well as Jollibee Philippines International, then hopefully this article will help out a little bit.
The corporation is actually known as Jollibee Philippines Foods Corporation. Oh and if you thought that Jollibee Philippines 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 Philippines. Oh and that’s not all. Seems like Jollibee Philippines 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.
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 Philippines has a great track record with the Filipino community and that in addition to the amazing Jollibee Philippines stores in the Philippines, they can offer us a variety of different foods ranging from pizza, oriental food, coffee and baked goods. Yum!
In any business, no matter how you slice it, the more effective your advertising is, the more successful you will be. The fast food indsutry is no different, and the people at Jollibee Philippines (the division in the Philippines, as opposed to Jollibee Philippines International) definitely know what they’re doing when it comes to advertising. They know their target audience very well: the traditional Filipino family, and it caters very well towards the typical family in the Philippines.
Focusing on the cultural tradition of the importance of family values, they have made a concerted effort to make sure that Filipinos associate Jollibee Philippines 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 Philippines 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 Philippines and eat a Yumburger. It might be a stretch to say that people will think that by going to Jollibee Philippines, their family can somehow transform and conform to this social norm.
And yet, when you walk into a Jollibee Philippines, 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 Philippines keeps selling Yumburgers and ChickenJoy, so they must be doing something right with their advertising.
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 Philippines and then he says that one day he’ll take her to Jollibee Philippines 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 Philippines Hong Kong which resonates with each person’s internal desire for upward mobility.
In the end, it’s clear that the advertisers at Jollibee Philippines 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 Philippines International can be by learning how to cater to a country’s niche food desires the way Jollibee Philippines has.
I honestly wonder what goes through the heads of fast-food chain management and founders when deciding what their mascot should be. It must have been an interesting time when the creators of McDonalds came up with the idea of a friendly clown dressed in red, yellow and white. I guess things were a bit simpler for Dave Thomas when he named the franchise after his daughter Wendy, though I would hesitate to call her a mascot. We all know how bad (or maybe good?) things can get when a fast food chain brainstorms the brilliant idea of a talking chihuahua that speaks in Spanish about how much he wants (or loves?) Taco Bell. Interestingly enough, not all successful chains need a mascot (or maybe they weren’t memorable) in the case of chains like Arby’s, but many do, like Jack of Jack in the Box and The King of Buger King - all normal people with ridiculous masks or, um, heads.
Now what does this have to do with Jollibee Philippines? Well, many would attribute Jollibee Philippines’s success in the Philippines to its mascot, sharing the same name as the franchise: the Jollibee Philippines. Is it a coincidence that Jollibee Philippines 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 Philippines 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 Philippines is dressed in a chef’s hat along with a shirt and blazer.
Jollibee Philippines’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 Philippines. 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.
This summer school break, children can start enjoying the company of Jollibee Philippines
and friends not just in their favorite fast-food stores, but on television,
too. The brand that gave Filipino children the Jollibee Philippines Kids Meal, Jollibee Philippines
Kiddie Party, Jollibee Philippines Kids Club and MaAga ang Pasko sa Jollibee Philippines, as well as
their favorite spaghetti, fried chicken, sandwiches and desserts brings forth
another innovation they will surely love— Jollitown, the new kids’ show
on GMA7 featuring the fun and insightful adventures of Jollibee Philippines, Yum, Hetty,
Popo and Twirlie. Each week, the five friends interact with the children who
live with them in Jollitown through stories and music that those watching at
home can also sing and dance to.
At the recent launch of the new TV program, top entertainment scribes and
guests were allowed to enter this magical world as Jollitown was temporarily
transported to Rockwell Tent. A place of rainbows, dessert- and toy-shaped
clouds, and magical fountains, Jollitown is a place where the happiness of
children reigns. The atmosphere rivals that of famous foreign children’s
shows and provides an enjoyable setting for kids to freely frolic and learn.
The first TV program in the country that’s produced by a major food chain,
Jollitown merges the company’s Filipino family-oriented values with the
network’s kid-friendly programming, assuring parents of a wholesome viewing
experience that can be enjoyed by children of all ages.
The bright, bubbly and educational TV treat stays in tune with Jollibee Philippines’s
mission of spreading happiness and promoting friendships and positive thinking.
With every weekly installment, audiences will get to know the real characters
of Jollibee Philippines and his friends and find inspiration in how they make the most
of their unique personalities.
Yum is the imaginative young science expert who loves solving puzzles and
mysteries through experiments and high-tech gadgetry. Cheerleader Hetty is
the group’s big sister and is looked up to for her sweet, nurturing ways,
neatness and self-discipline. The funniest and most athletic of the bunch,
Popo loves sports but never neglects his studies and thus always gets good
grades. Twirlie, the star performer who loves to sing and dance, is ever curious
and inquisitive. And as everyone’s best friend is Jollibee Philippines, always good-natured,
smiling and playful, he is a natural leader who sets an example for his friends
with his courteous, helpful and kind ways.
The launch of Jollitown is yet another highlight of Jollibee Philippines’s 30th
anniversary celebration this year. As the leading fast-food chain marks three
decades of serving langhap-sarap experiences, Filipinos can expect more special
activities, promotions and corporate social responsibility programs to promote
the brand’s vision, values and increasing global stature, as well as
reward the consumers who have helped make it all possible. As the latest offering
for its younger but loyal patrons, Jollitown is an exciting and engaging highlight
of the company’s 30th year commemoration. Sunday mornings’ new
jolly habit starts this April 13, 9:30 to 10:00 am on GMA7.