The Filipino multinational franchise chain, Jollibee is coming to Malaysia!
For those not in the know, Jollibee is a beloved chain of fast food restaurants from Philippines with over 4,000 stores spread across 21 regions and 12 brands.
It’s known for items such as the beloved Chicken Joy, Jolly Spaghetti, their various hotdogs and burgers, and the Peach Mango Pie.
The CEO of Jollibee said that this new outlet is part of an international expansion plan where they plan to build 500 new stores in new markets such as the UK, Indonesia, and Malaysia. It’s apparently part of a P12-billion spending plan.
Before you grab your wallet and run to the nearest mall, do take note that the outlet is going to be in Sabah. More specifically, Kota Kinabalu.
According to 4-Traders, the founder and chairman of Jollibee, Tony Tak Caktiong stated that reason for this seems to be that it is nearer to Philippines and has a large Filipino community living there. However, they do plan on expanding from there so maybe we can see outlets open nearby sooner, rather than later. (Please.)
A budget of $131 million has been set aside for this expansion plan and existing stores are also expected to be renovated.
It’s interesting to note that this isn’t the first time Jollibee set up business in Malaysia. They had a presence here back in the early nineties but the Asian financial crisis of 1997 put a stop to that.
Thanks, economy.
Regardless, they are coming back and this is great news for all food lovers in Malaysia!
Here’s hoping that the outlet is a hit and results in more outlets nearby that don’t require a plane ticket to get to.
Header Image Source: Chicago Tribune