Philippine fast-food giant Jollibee’s planned re-entry into the Guam market has taken another step forward. The $2 million construction project to build a standalone Jollibee in the Micronesia Mall parking lot has begun. The construction site was in the process of being cordoned off Monday, and construction equipment has started digging up the ground for the proposed concrete building.
The Jollibee corporate office in the Philippines has previously confirmed its Guam restaurant will open in the fourth quarter of this year.
Maxi D. Peralta Jr., assistant vice president and head of international franchising at Jollibee Foods Corp., spoke on behalf of the company.
Known for its crispy fried chicken, sweet spaghetti and other Filipino twists on patties, hot dogs, egg rolls and noodles, Jollibee’s Guam re-entry was announced as part of its overseas expansion plans.
Jollibee had two franchise-run restaurants on Guam and two on Saipan, but its Marianas presence ended more than a decade ago as the islands went through an economic downturn. Jollibee also had trouble competing with Guam players that offered larger portions.
The company builds, runs and franchises quick-service restaurants. A Jollibee international franchise applicant must have a minimum net worth of $5 million, according to the company’s website.
Internationally, Jollibee had 139 stores with 32 in the United States, 72 in Vietnam, 13 in Brunei, one in Hong Kong, two in Singapore and 19 in the Middle East, according to the company’s profile for investors.