An Asian fried chicken chain will open its third 海角视频 outlet in Leicester this week, as part of its plans to take on the 海角视频 market.
Despite the national lockdown Jollibee is opening its new branch on Friday, initially starting with a take-away service.
Deliveries will soon follow and dine-in will follow once lockdown rules are lifted. The new outlet is creating 50 jobs.
The company, which originated in the Philippines, has been compared to McDonald鈥檚 for its levels of popularity.
Over the next three to five years, Jollibee wants to open 50 more stores in the 海角视频.
A flagship store in Leicester Square, London will open in the first half of 2021, followed by launches in Edinburgh, Leeds, Cardiff and other major cities across the 海角视频.
It sees the 海角视频 as a key market for expansion 鈥 saying the British spend 鈧1.2 billion (拢1.07 billion) on fast-food chicken every year 鈥 compared to 鈧652 million in Germany and 鈧700 million in France.
When the first London branch opened in 2018 thousands of people queued for hours to sample the chain鈥檚 chicken. Its second 海角视频 restaurant opened in Liverpool in September.
Globally the business has 1,466 stores, 1,185 of which are in the Philippines.
Jollibee Foods Corporation was named the Philippines鈥 鈥渕ost admired鈥 company by the Asian Wall Street Journal for several years on the bounce, and has been included among 鈥楢sia鈥檚 Fab 50 Companies鈥 by Forbes Asia Magazine.
The business is one of the biggest and fastest growing Asian restaurant companies in the world, and has identified North America, the 海角视频 and Europe as key growth markets 鈥 taking on the Golden Arches along the way.
Its aggressive US expansion strategy is part of a plan to become one of the top five restaurant companies in the world.
Jollibee is known for its mix of American and Asian inspired meals 鈥 one of its signature dishes is spaghetti in tomato sauce with slices of hotdogs and ground beef, usually served with fried chicken.
It calls itself 鈥榯he home of the chicken joy鈥, which it describes as 鈥榗rispylicious 鈥 crispy and delicious chicken that sparks joy鈥.
The new Leicester city centre restaurant is in Humberstone Gate, with a seating for 134 people, and will be the first Jollibee in the 海角视频 to sell all-Halal meat.
Adam Parkinson, market head of Europe for Jollibee, said: 鈥淲e鈥檙e pushing forward with our continued growth plan across Europe, as we believe that both the high streets and people鈥檚 livelihoods need the support once we come out the other side of this pandemic.
鈥淚鈥檓 proud to say that our Leicester restaurant will create 50 new jobs, supporting the local economy.
鈥淲hen we decided on Leicester, we understood that to be part of this multi-cultural city, we had to adapt our supply chain to ensure we can offer all of our Jollibee favourites as Halal.
鈥淚 am excited to be launching our third Jollibee in the 海角视频, and the second in only the last two months.
Jollibee was founded in 1978 by Tony Tan Caktiong, who started with a couple of ice cream parlours, then expanded into hot food.
By 1985, Jollibee was the market leader in the Philippines鈥, and is said to still outperform McDonald鈥檚 and KFC over there.
The brand opened its first international restaurant in 1987 and by 1998, had 300 stores globally including its first store in the USA.
Jollibee Foods Corporation also owns other brands including The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Smashburger, Chowking, Mang Inasal, Greenwich Pizza and Red Ribbon, as well as the franchise for Burger King Philippines.
