With 70 percent of its customers in its latest UK stores now being locals, homegrown restaurant brand Jollibee is further expanding its reach to local European customers by growing to 50 stores in that continent in the next five years.
This year, the restaurant chain will open its Europe flagship location in Leicester Square, London. This will be followed by seven other store openings, including its first stores in Scotland in Edinburgh, its first in Wales in Cardiff, and its first in Spain in Madrid.
This came on the heels of its successful Rome, Liverpool, and Leicester City openings in 2020, which opened to much fanfare despite the pandemic.
“The Jollibee Group is dedicated to growing the Jollibee brand in the UK and across Europe. Investing 50 million euros demonstrates our commitment to become a major player in the European quick-service industry,” Dennis Flores, Jollibee Group regional business head for Europe, Middle East, Asia, and Australia. “The pandemic may have been a setback, but it will not deter us from pursuing our vision for Jollibee in the UK and the rest of Europe.”
Jollibee’s new stores in Europe have been designed to adapt to changes brought about by the pandemic by including contactless kiosks for speed and safety, and pick-up settings to make take-outs even more convenient.
Jollibee has introduced multiple new menu items that cater to the local market palate and hoped to draw in more local customers through its new and refreshed store design that showcases its Filipino heritage while adapting to the European market.
By end-April, Jollibee UK will launch an app that will allow customers to order in advance.
“Simultaneously, we are investing in technologies such as a mobile app for click and collect along with in-store contactless kiosk options to bring additional convenience to our customers,” Jollibee Group market head for Europe Adam Parkinson said.
Over five million pieces of Chickenjoy have been sold across Europe since the brand first debuted in the region.
