COVINA, Calif. — The global fast-food sensation Jollibee, famous for its Chickenjoy fried chicken and warm hospitality, is partnering with veteran franchise operator George Almeida, a multi-brand franchisee with nearly four decades of QSR experience. Almeida's investment is driven by a strategic bet on one of the most compelling growth stories in QSR today and a personal connection to the iconic brand, which was first introduced to him by his longtime operator.
“The Bay Area is Jollibee heaven,” Almeida said. “From the demographics, we have one of the largest Filipino communities in the country. Jollibee’s strongest asset is its reputation among the Filipino community in the U.S. It is an absolute icon within that community. But the exciting thing for me is the number of people who have never heard of Jollibee, given the volume the stores are already doing. The upside potential of getting the general population familiar with the quality of the operations and the food is so exciting. That is unlimited. This is a great asset because you have an iconic brand that anyone can love.”
Almeida operated as a multi-unit franchisee in the Fuddruckers system for nearly 40 years, during which time he grew his portfolio to include 10 units across three states. He continues to operate one Fuddruckers, which has been in operation for 42 years. More recently, Almeida was a Dave’s Hot Chicken franchisee in Northern California from 2020 to early 2024, before selling those holdings.
Last year, he came across the Jollibee franchise opportunity while researching brands. “I was familiar with Jollibee because my operator, who has been with me for close to 20 years, would always bring Jollibee food to our meetings,” he said. “She's Filipino and grew up with it. When I saw they were expanding, I told her about the franchise opportunity and she was so excited and recommended that we look into it.”
After connecting with the Jollibee team, Almeida quickly saw alignment. “I really loved the conversation with them and we felt like we had a great connection, and they felt the same way with me,” he said. “I was extremely comfortable and excited to be part of the Jollibee family.”
From a business standpoint, the decision was equally compelling. “We looked at the AUV compared to the build-out costs,” Almeida said. “As someone with a lot of experience in the QSR space, I can say that the numbers they are producing in the U.S. and the volumes they are already doing are very impressive.”
Under the agreement, Almeida plans to develop 15 locations across Northern California over the next eight years. He says he aims to focus on high-visibility sites that can support strong volumes and long-term success.
“We’re excited to welcome George to the Jollibee family,” said Peter Wright, vice president of franchising for Jollibee Group North America. “George brings decades of operational experience, a strong understanding of multi-unit growth and a clear passion for building great teams. That combination makes him an ideal partner as we continue expanding across Northern California.”
About Jollibee Group
Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC), also known as the Jollibee Group, is one of the world’s fastest-growing restaurant companies, with a mission to deliver great-tasting food, bringing the joy of eating through its 19 brands with over 10,000 stores across 33 countries.
The Jollibee Group’s portfolio includes nine wholly owned brands (Jollibee, Chowking, Greenwich, Red Ribbon, Mang Inasal, Yonghe King, Hong Zhuang Yuan, Smashburger and Tim Ho Wan), five franchised brands (Burger King, Panda Express, Yoshinoya, Common Man Coffee Roasters, and Tiong Bahru Bakery in the Philippines), and ownership stakes in other key brands like The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf (80%), Compose Coffee (70%), SuperFoods Group that operates Highlands Coffee (60%), and bubble tea brand Milksha (51%). The Company also has membership interests in Tortazo, LLC, along with Chef Rick Bayless, for Tortazo in the U.S. and has recently invested in Botrista, a leader in beverage technology.
The Jollibee Group’s global sustainability agenda, Joy for Tomorrow, underscores its commitment to sustainable business practices across food safety, employee welfare, community support, good governance, and environmental responsibility, among others. These focus areas are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).
The Jollibee Group has been recognized as the Philippines' Most Admired Company by the Asian Wall Street Journal, named one of Asia's Fab 50 Companies, and listed among Forbes' World’s Best Employers and Top Female-Friendly Companies. The Company is also a three-time Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award recipient and featured in TIME’s World’s Best Companies and Fortune’s Southeast Asia 500 List.
To learn more about Jollibee Group, visit www.jollibeegroup.com.
Jollibee
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Almeida, who built his career with Fuddruckers and Dave's Hot Chicken, is now making a major move to bring Jollibee to Northern California. Here’s why.
COVINA, Calif. — The global fast-food sensation Jollibee, famous for its Chickenjoy fried chicken and warm hospitality, is partnering with veteran franchise operator George Almeida, a multi-brand franchisee with nearly four decades of QSR experience. Almeida's investment is driven by a strategic bet on one of the most compelling growth stories in QSR today and a personal connection to the iconic brand, which was first introduced to him by his longtime operator.
“The Bay Area is Jollibee heaven,” Almeida said. “From the demographics, we have one of the largest Filipino communities in the country. Jollibee’s strongest asset is its reputation among the Filipino community in the U.S. It is an absolute icon within that community. But the exciting thing for me is the number of people who have never heard of Jollibee, given the volume the stores are already doing. The upside potential of getting the general population familiar with the quality of the operations and the food is so exciting. That is unlimited. This is a great asset because you have an iconic brand that anyone can love.”
Almeida operated as a multi-unit franchisee in the Fuddruckers system for nearly 40 years, during which time he grew his portfolio to include 10 units across three states. He continues to operate one Fuddruckers, which has been in operation for 42 years. More recently, Almeida was a Dave’s Hot Chicken franchisee in Northern California from 2020 to early 2024, before selling those holdings.
Last year, he came across the Jollibee franchise opportunity while researching brands. “I was familiar with Jollibee because my operator, who has been with me for close to 20 years, would always bring Jollibee food to our meetings,” he said. “She's Filipino and grew up with it. When I saw they were expanding, I told her about the franchise opportunity and she was so excited and recommended that we look into it.”
After connecting with the Jollibee team, Almeida quickly saw alignment. “I really loved the conversation with them and we felt like we had a great connection, and they felt the same way with me,” he said. “I was extremely comfortable and excited to be part of the Jollibee family.”
From a business standpoint, the decision was equally compelling. “We looked at the AUV compared to the build-out costs,” Almeida said. “As someone with a lot of experience in the QSR space, I can say that the numbers they are producing in the U.S. and the volumes they are already doing are very impressive.”
Under the agreement, Almeida plans to develop 15 locations across Northern California over the next eight years. He says he aims to focus on high-visibility sites that can support strong volumes and long-term success.
“We’re excited to welcome George to the Jollibee family,” said Peter Wright, vice president of franchising for Jollibee Group North America. “George brings decades of operational experience, a strong understanding of multi-unit growth and a clear passion for building great teams. That combination makes him an ideal partner as we continue expanding across Northern California.”
About Jollibee Group
Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC), also known as the Jollibee Group, is one of the world’s fastest-growing restaurant companies, with a mission to deliver great-tasting food, bringing the joy of eating through its 19 brands with over 10,000 stores across 33 countries.
The Jollibee Group’s portfolio includes nine wholly owned brands (Jollibee, Chowking, Greenwich, Red Ribbon, Mang Inasal, Yonghe King, Hong Zhuang Yuan, Smashburger and Tim Ho Wan), five franchised brands (Burger King, Panda Express, Yoshinoya, Common Man Coffee Roasters, and Tiong Bahru Bakery in the Philippines), and ownership stakes in other key brands like The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf (80%), Compose Coffee (70%), SuperFoods Group that operates Highlands Coffee (60%), and bubble tea brand Milksha (51%). The Company also has membership interests in Tortazo, LLC, along with Chef Rick Bayless, for Tortazo in the U.S. and has recently invested in Botrista, a leader in beverage technology.
The Jollibee Group’s global sustainability agenda, Joy for Tomorrow, underscores its commitment to sustainable business practices across food safety, employee welfare, community support, good governance, and environmental responsibility, among others. These focus areas are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).
The Jollibee Group has been recognized as the Philippines' Most Admired Company by the Asian Wall Street Journal, named one of Asia's Fab 50 Companies, and listed among Forbes' World’s Best Employers and Top Female-Friendly Companies. The Company is also a three-time Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award recipient and featured in TIME’s World’s Best Companies and Fortune’s Southeast Asia 500 List.
To learn more about Jollibee Group, visit www.jollibeegroup.com.
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