Jollibee Foods Corp. (JFC) said it was drawing interest from large franchise operators in the United States, with some groups looking to open at least 50 stores as the company ramps up its expansion in one of its biggest overseas markets.
Speaking at the Philippine Stock Exchange’s investor day 2026, Jollibee Group chief financial and risk officer Richard Shin said the growing interest came as the company strengthened its position in the fast-growing chicken segment in the United States.
“We’re now getting multi-unit franchises of 50 units and above coming to us,” Shin said.
He said the fast-food giant had become the third-largest chain in annual unit volume (AUV) among chicken brands in the United States, behind only Chick-fil-A and Raising Cane’s. AUV refers to a store’s average yearly sales.
Shin said JFC was benefiting from strong demand for chicken products at a time when beef costs continued to rise globally.
“And being number three in that category in the fastest-growing segment, which is chicken and the cost of beef having its challenges, we’re in a very good place,” he said.
The company said it remained aggressive in opening stores despite inflationary pressures and geopolitical risks tied to the Iran war.
According to Shin, JFC’s borrowing costs remained significantly lower than the expected returns from new stores, allowing the group to continue expanding while relying heavily on franchising.
JFC currently has over 10,000 stores worldwide, with around 70 percent operated by franchisees.
Shin said the company was accelerating its franchise-led expansion strategy across several brands and markets.
In South Korea, Compose Coffee is expected to open around 360 mostly franchised stores this year.
Shin said the chain was also seeing more franchisees expand into multiple stores after initially operating single units.
JFC is likewise continuing to grow brands, such as Tim Ho Wan, in overseas markets through franchise and joint venture arrangements.
In the United States, however, the company plans to focus its expansion in Southern California to build scale and improve supply chain efficiency.
Despite inflation concerns, Shin said recent price increases implemented in April had little impact on demand. He added that JFC was not planning major new borrowings or bond issuances as it continued to grow its global business.
