As one of the most popular fast-food chains in Asia, Jollibee Group is setting its sights on expanding further into new markets, with a special focus on Australia. Dennis Flores, Jollibee Group’s regional business head for Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Australia, has recently revealed that Jollibee is planning to open its first store in Australia in the next two years.
During the recent opening of Vietnam’s 200th store, Flores provided an expansion plan update.
“In Asia, apart from Vietnam, we’re in Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia and Brunei, and soon we will be opening in Australia,” Flores shared in an interview with Philstar. “We’ve been planning to enter Australia for quite some time now. The way to succeed in new markets is to choose the right partner. We’ve been very careful in choosing the right partner, especially for Australia, being a big country with huge potential.”
Jollibee, famous for its signature fried chicken and sweet-style spaghetti, has long had its sights set on the Australian market, but the company has expressed that it wants to ensure the right strategy is in place to make a successful debut. Flores highlighted that Australia is a key priority for the company, and the group is confident that the market potential will support its growth.
“We believe that with the rate we’re going, it is highly possible that we will be able to open the first store within the next two years,” he said, expressing optimism about opening a store in Australia.
Sydney: a primary target for first store
According to Flores, NSW, particularly Sydney is currently the primary target for Jollibee’s first Australian location. The group has been exploring several potential sites in the last few years.
As first reported by The Philippine Times in April 2022, Jollibee had initially targeted the suburban area of Campbelltown in Sydney’s outer West for its first branch in Australia, only to experience a setback. “Campbelltown—it was not about not having a partner in place. The constraint why the project was shelved was because of some administrative challenges that the developer had in that particular concept,” Flores clarified.
Looking ahead: a strategic approach to expansion
While the Filipino-Australian community eagerly waits for updates, with various theories as to the cause for delays, Flores’ comments emphasise the importance of strategic partnerships in Jollibee’s expansion plans. With Jollibee Food Corporation’s successful track record in countries like Vietnam in Asia, they are clearly keen to replicate that success in other markets, including Australia.
As announced in public briefings on the topic of Franchising Jollibee in Australia, the group has been looking for partner investors who are capable of investing in multiple branches. The group’s careful and methodical approach in selecting the right partner is seen as a key factor in ensuring long-term success in the competitive fast-food industry.
Jollibee’s entry into the Australian market represents a significant milestone for the brand. “We think we can still penetrate some other markets in Asia, as well as Australia where we are focusing on. So it’s the rest of Asia and Australia for us,” Flores stated as reported by Manila Bulletin in December 2024. With their plans to open the first store within the next two years, Jollibee is poised to finally introduce its beloved Filipino flavours to a wider audience in Australia.
The Jollibee Group now has a portfolio of 19 brands with over 9,500 stores across 32 countries worldwide.
