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Jollibee 'a slice of home' for Canada's Filipino population
Jollibee’s long-awaited arrival in Toronto this April saw over7,000 people line up for nearly 10 hours.
Over three months later, anybody hoping to sample the most popularfast food restaurant in the Philippines should steel themselves fora long wait.
This was the backdrop for Jollibee’s opening of their secondToronto-area restaurant — their fourth in Canada — in Mississauga’sHeartland Town Center on Friday, July 13.
Choosing to open in Mississauga, said Jollibee Foods Corp. GroupPresident Jose Minana, Jr., was a nobrainer.
“Coming from Scarborough, where we had a tremendous response —Mississauga is home to a lot of Filipinos, so that’s where ourprimary target was,” he said.
Over half of Canada’s 800,000 Filipinos live in southern Ontario —a lucrative market indeed for a company so deeply ingrained in theculture of the Philippines.
Jollibee opened their first Canadian restaurant in Winnipeg, justnorth of the Polo Park shopping centre, in Jan. 2016 — followed ayear later with a second in the city’s north end.
On April 1, the chain opened their first Toronto-area franchise atKennedy Rd. and the 401, welcoming long lines of hungry — andnostalgic — southern Ontario Filipinos, erecting heated (and laterair conditioned) tents in the parking lot to make the wait morecomfortable.
On opening day of the Mississauga location, people began queing at10 p.m. the previous evening.
So what is it about Jollibee that elicits such a passionatefollowing?
“I think there’s really two things,” Minana said.
The first, he explained, is the food — specifically the friedchicken, the Filipino-style spaghetti and the peach-mango pies(deep-fried pastries filled with fresh peaches and mangoes sourcedfrom the Philippines) as the most popular offerings.
“The other one, really, is that it’s a slice of home,” heexplained.
“I was talking to a couple here, and he was saying that juststanding there brings back memories.”
Jollibee has grown to become an inseparable part of life andculture in the Philippines.
Beginning in 1975 at the opening of a family-owned ice cream standin Manila, their addition of hot meals evolved into a multinationalcorporation with 1,200 restaurants worldwide.
Even the 1981 entry of McDonald’s into the Philippines wasn’tenough to shake Jollibee’s dominance, which continues to outpacethe American fast food behemoth’s growth.
Jollibee Foods Corporation eventually acquired many of thecountry’s most successful fast food brands, including owning thePhilippine franchise rights for Burger King and in 2016 buying amajority stake in the American burger chain Smashburger and itsnearly 400 restaurants across the United States and Canada.
My wife Jaq, who grew up in and around Manila, associates the chainwith warm memories of days gone by.
“Jollibee is part of my childhood,” she said.
“I grew up with it, it’s always a taste of home.”
The chain’s beloved mascot, the eponymous bee decked out in a redtuxedo and white chef’s hat, can be found on countless merchandiseand toys, including a six-season children’s television show.
Surveying the people lined up Friday morning, Minana is confidentin their announcement last month to open 100 new restaurants inCanada over the next five years.
While Toronto’s definitely on deck to receive some of those, Minanasaid Jollibee locations will open in Calgary and Edmonton nextyear.
“Sure, it’s all about the food, but it’s really become a place wecan gather as a family,” Minana said.
“Whether it’s among friends or siblings or cousins, it’s a placewere you gather and celebrate. “You can really feel the joyinside.”
WHAT’S FOR DINNER?
So what’s on the menu that’s prompting these hours-long line-ups?Here’s a look at some of their most popular offerings.
JOLLY CRISPY CHICKEN
“Crispylicious and Juicylicious” is how Minana described Jollibee’smost popular offering.
“There’s a certain flavour that really makes it quitedifferent.”
Happily biting into a chicken leg, Jaq’s in full agreement withMinana’s assessment.
“I love the crunch,” she said.
PEACH MANGO PIE
Made with real Philippine mangoes and fried golden brown, there’sfew who can dispute the Peach Mango Pie’s popularity.
“Filipinos like mangos,” said Jaq with a laugh, when asked why it’sso popular.
Although not yet available in Canada and normally only sold in thePhilppines during lent, the Jollibee Tuna Pie (which replaces thefruit filling with savoury tuna, cheese, mayo and carrot) has aMcRib-esque cult following among many Filipinos.
JOLLY SPAGHETTI.
Another favourite is the Jolly Spaghetti — which Minana describesas a “sweet-style” spaghetti and common down-home comfortfood.
“We have to put a little emphasis on ‘sweet style,’” Minanasaid.
The purely-Filipino take on the classic meal also features slicedhot dogs, ham and shredded cheese as toppings — and is my wife’shands-down favourite.
“It’s just so sweet, and spicy,” she said, her mouth full ofspaghetti.
“I just love it.”
PALABOK FIESTA
Probably the most unfamiliar item to Jollibee rookies, rice noodlestopped with garlic shrimp sauce, pork, sliced hard-boiled egg andboiled shrimp is a traditional Filipino dish, Minana explained.
Provide answers and explanations to the followingquestions:
1. Do you think that Jollibee feels low or high pressures for costreduction?
2. Do you think that Jollibee feels low or high pressures for localresponsiveness?
3. How should knowledge be developed and diffused forJollibee?
4. Which strategy and structure combination is recommended for thecompany?
