A Memorandum of Understanding was recently signed by the Department of Science and Technology’s Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD) and Jollibee Group Foundation (JGF), the company’s social development arm. The agreement aims to strengthen both parties’ work on enhancing smallholder producers’ entrepreneurial capacity and connecting them to agriculture value chains.

“This partnership is an important milestone for farmer entrepreneurs. PCAARRD’s expertise in research and development in agriculture will surely help create access to more technologies that can enhance farmers’ livelihood to become more profitable,” said Gisela Tiongson, executive director of JGF.

Through the exchange of technology, access to knowledge, and the provision of tools to increase productivity, the partnership between DOST-PCAARRD and JGF seeks to support the advancement of sustainable agricultural practices. Additionally, it seeks to enhance R&D initiatives in order to provide scientific and technology-based solutions for agri-aqua businesses. For the purpose of ensuring the success of agro-enterprises, the program also incorporates networking and market links.

Of this, DOST-PCAARRD Executive Director Dr. Reynaldo V. Ebora said, “We believe that this partnership for agro-entrepreneurship will strengthen PCAARRD’s efforts in addressing technology gaps to improve quality and productivity, as well as in building the capacities of farmer groups and partner LGUs to provide opportunities to tap institutional markets. We are also certain that this will pave the way to strengthen the implementation of projects and activities with the end goal of achieving JGF’s mission and PCAARRD’s mandates.”

Additionally, this program supports JGF’s Farmer Entrepreneurship Program (FEP), which empowers smallholder farmers and aids them in developing their technical and business acumen as well as their capacity for forming partnerships. FEP works with farmer cooperatives that supply the Jollibee Group and other markets using the Agro-Enterprise Clustering Approach.

More than 9,000 metric tons of veggies, worth more than P360 million in total sales, are provided to the company by 18 farmer organizations authorized by the Jollibee Group to date.

Store Openings that Break Records. The Jollibee Group established 23 Burger King locations in 2022, setting a Philippine record for the company’s restaurant openings in a calendar year.

As part of its growth strategies, the Jollibee Group is concentrating on improving the performance of its internationally franchised businesses in the Philippines.

“We aim to become the leading market developer of foreign restaurants brands in the country. By leveraging our brand portfolio to provide diverse offerings for various market segments at different price points, and strategically expanding our store network, Burger King, Yoshinoya, and Panda Express are expected to continuously contribute to the sustainable growth of our domestic business,” said Joseph Tanbuntiong, Jollibee Group Country Head for Philippine Business.

Store Openings

Burger King opened 23 outlets in 2022 as part of the firm’s expansion plans, which is a record for the company for the year. Additionally, it debuted its 125th landmark location in 2022, as well as five Bike ‘n Dine locations on Visayas Avenue and Shaw Wack-Wack in San Juan. Alabang-West in Muntinlupa; Vermosa in Imus, Cavite; Carmona Cavite; and Quezon City.

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In 2022, the Jollibee Group also relaunched Japan’s world-famous Beef Bowl Chain, Yoshinoya. This is its first ever Japanese food chain, making it a strong addition to the foreign franchised brands currently operated by the company. Yoshinoya serves a beefed-up menu in a newly redesigned contemporary and casual Japanese space headlined by their world-famous gyudon or beef bowl.

Successful Relaunch. The Jollibee Group successfully relaunched Yoshinoya in the Philippines with a refreshed store design and menu offering.

Last year, Yoshinoya opened four stores and renovated three existing stores. The Jollibee Group formed a 50-50 joint venture with YIPI—the Philippine subsidiary of Asia Yoshinoya International Sdn. Bhd. and Yoshinoya Holdings Co. Ltd. in June 2021. The said partnership established Yoshinoya Jollibee Foods, Inc., which operates the Yoshinoya stores in the country and plans to expand Yoshinoya’s store network to 50 stores in the long term.

Meanwhile, Panda Express opened ten stores last year, five of which were the first in its host cities—Robinsons Place Ermita in Manila, SM Southmall in Las Piñas, Betterliving in Parañaque, Shell SLT in Muntinlupa, and Greenhills in San Juan. In February 2023, Panda Express opened its first drive-thru restaurant in Asia with the launch of its Sumulong Highway branch. This new location in Marikina City also marks Panda Restaurant Group’s 100th international restaurant. Panda Restaurant Group, Inc. (PRG) and the Jollibee Group formed JBPX Foods, Inc., a joint venture in 2019 to bring the world’s largest American Chinese dining concept in the Philippines.

Milestone Opening. The first drive-thru store of Panda Express in Asia was opened by the Jollibee Group in Marikina City. This also marks the brand’s 100thinternational branch.

Exciting Product Offerings

The Jollibee Group’s thrust with its foreign franchised brands is to bring the authentic experience to Filipinos. Apart from this, the Jollibee Group also provides menu offerings that are either unique to Philippine market or among the best performing for these franchised brands in the region and the world.

On top of its iconic entree, the Original Orange Chicken®, Panda Express introduced Kung Pao Fish last year for the season of Lent. Its Beef Broccoli and Honey Walnut Shrimp are also among the best-selling dishes in the region. Meanwhile, Yoshinoya—with its signature beef bowl—also offered dishes that Filipino foodies can enjoy such as Tempura, Karaage, and desserts like Mochi Matcha Ice Cream and Coffee Jelly.

Burger King Philippines was also acknowledged as having one of the best-in-class launches in Asia for its new product Chicken King. Other exciting new products that guests enjoyed for a limited time last year were Cheese Bites, Plant-Based X-tra Long Chicken, Spicy Chicken King, Spicy Chicken Nuggets, and Truffle Whopper.

The Jollibee Group plans to add more Burger King, Yoshinoya, and Panda Express locations this year. The company’s objective to rank among the top five restaurant corporations in the globe includes these new shop openings.

“Our thrust is to bring the original experience of these popular brands to the Filipino people. I am confident that with the success of our foreign franchised brands, and with the continued support of their fans, Jollibee Group will succeed in achieving its long-term growth plans,” Tanbuntiong added.

Global General Counsel & Ethics Head and Compliance Officer for The Jollibee Group Atty. The 19th Annual Southeast Asia Law Awards presented by Asian Legal Business (ALB) honored Valerie Feria Amante the In-House Attorney of the Year in 2023. Amante is this year’s lone recipient from the Philippines.

The ALB SE Asia Law Awards 2023 honor the outstanding achievements of private practitioners and in-house counsel in SE Asia and are assessed by a panel of senior and knowledgeable legal industry experts from diverse sectors around the region.

“I am honored to have been recognized as In-House Lawyer of the Year for Southeast Asia. I have always believed that Filipinos can stand proud alongside the best in the world, and I am happy to be one of many examples showing this to be true,” said Amante.

Amante oversees a group of 19 attorneys and 10 paralegals from the Philippines, China, Vietnam, USA, Singapore, and Ireland as the Global General Counsel & Ethics Head and Compliance Officer for the Jollibee Group.

“This award represents the work of the great team of lawyers and paralegals across our offices in six countries that comprise the Legal organization in the Jollibee Group, as well as the collaboration of colleagues from different functions and businesses,” she expounded.

Rewarding in-house legal career

Amante has been with the Jollibee Group for over 16 years now and has led the development of the legal, ethics, and compliance functions as integral components in Jollibee Group’s growth and expansion over the years.

“Building an effective multinational legal organization to ensure our businesses everywhere have access to quality support; setting standards, policies and processes to facilitate legal consistency and alignment globally, balanced with agility and flexibility locally; creating and disseminating tools to empower people and manage legal risks at scale; and providing our team’s perspective in conversations at all levels to enable legally-informed business decisions — all contribute to making legal, ethics and compliance integral to the Jollibee Group’s way of doing business,” Amante added.

Amante graduated as Salutatorian of the University of the Philippines College of Law in 2000, and placed 7thin the Philippine Bar Examinations of the same year. After starting her career in a large law firm and in another publicly listed company, she joined JFC in 2007. In 2016, she was awarded the ALB Philippine In-House Lawyer of the Year. This time, she won the In-House Lawyer of the Year award covering the SE Asia region.

“My inclusion is a direct result of the meaningful, high-impact, and interesting work that I have had the opportunity to do in the Jollibee Group, and the support that JFC has given me to continuously grow and elevate the function,” Amante said.

Inclusive legal organization

“We are committed to equal opportunities and hiring based on merit. Over 70% of the legal organization in the Jollibee Group are women, and two lawyers, including myself, are Persons with Disability (PWD),” Amante said.

When asked for her best piece of advise for aspiring attorneys, Amante responded, “Anchor yourself on quality and honesty. Recognize your values and priorities and act on them. Be respectful to everyone, including yourself. Additionally, a sense of humor is helpful!”