The Philippines’ most famous fast-food chain is expanding its footprint across Asia with plans for expansion in Singapore and Indonesia.
Dennis Flores, Jollibee president and head of international business in Europe, Middle East, Asia and Australia, confirmed that 15 more outlets will be opened in Singapore in the next five years.
Jollibee already has five stores in Singapore: two at Lucky Plaza, and one each in Paya Lebar, Changi, and Novena. The sixth store will open in Jurong East in April next year (2018).
He said the growing number of Singaporean patrons is proof that “Jollibee’s offerings have greatly appealed to the taste buds of the locals.”
In 2013, in a simple blind taste test conducted by Yahoo! Singapore, Jollibee’s chicken joy was found to be the best among several other brands in Singapore.
The blind taste test involved a panel of six–Singaporeans, Malaysians, a Filipino and an Indonesian–who were asked to assess chicken dishes from Jollibee, KFC, Popeyes, Texas Chicken and 4Fingers.
Jollibee’s chicken joy got three out of six votes, the highest given to any other fried chicken in the taste test. Jollibee’s chicken was found to have the juiciest meat, and the skin was said to be thin and crispy.
Mr Flores said Jollibee is also looking into entering the 260-million-strong Indonesian market in 2019.
“It’s a market we can’t ignore. It’s a chicken market. If you’re familiar with Indonesia, everyone there loves chicken. The big players are all ‘chicken players’. We believe with our superior products, our chances are very good,” he said.
Jollibee is hoping to open 150 stores in Indonesia in 10 years.