1851 Franchise: What’s your franchise story? How did you accidentally fall into franchising?

Beth Dela Cruz, President of JBM LLC, the franchisor of Jollibee in North America: Before I share my personal story, it’s important to share a bit about Jollibee’s journey.

Jollibee, the flagship brand of Jollibee Foods Corporation, originated in the Philippines and has grown into a globally recognized brand with over 1,700 locations across 19 countries. While most of our stores are still in the Philippines, we now have locations throughout Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America.

Founded in 1978, Jollibee’s vision is to become one of the top five restaurant companies in the world, and North America has been identified as a key strategic pillar in achieving that vision. We currently have 104 corporate-owned locations here, and now, to fuel aggressive growth, we are moving into franchising.

As for me, I graduated with a degree in Business Economics and initially worked in finance at Procter & Gamble. After a few years, I decided to shift toward a service-oriented company. Jollibee was just 10 years old at the time when I joined as a shift manager at a restaurant in the Philippines.

Over the years, I worked my way up through various leadership roles in operations, which has always been my passion. In 2005, I was given the challenge to help turn around Jollibee’s business in North America — and the rest is history. In 2019, I was named president of our North American operations, and I truly love every part of this journey.

1851 Franchise: How important was it for you to start your career in operations and understand every level of the business?

Dela Cruz: Operational excellence is the heart of the restaurant business. To be a good leader, you need to understand what happens on the ground — what the team members and managers are experiencing every day.

Having that firsthand experience makes decision-making more grounded and realistic. I strongly believe that my background in operations built me up to take on the challenges of leading Jollibee in North America.

1851 Franchise: Some might see Jollibee's U.S. success as an "overnight" story, but it’s been a long journey. Can you share your perspective on that?

Dela Cruz: It’s definitely been a journey. Jollibee first entered the U.S. in 1998, mainly serving the Filipino American population. At one point, there was an attempt to cross into the mainstream market before the basics were in place — and it didn’t succeed.

When I took on the North America assignment, the first thing we did was put the right foundation in place: building the right culture, reinforcing our values and setting clear food, service and cleanliness FSE [food service establishment] standards.

I'm proud to share that today, all 71 of our U.S. locations are FSE-certified. That consistency is critical — customers expect reliability, dependability and joy in every visit.

1851 Franchise: Moving into franchising after perfecting operations must feel both exciting and daunting. How are you approaching it?

Dela Cruz: It’s definitely a little scary, but it’s also incredibly exciting.

Our mission is to "spread the joy of eating," and we’re looking for franchises who share that same passion. It’s not just about expanding units; it’s about finding the right people who believe in our culture, values and commitment to quality.

Consumers today expect more — more diverse, exciting menus and more authentic hospitality. I believe Jollibee delivers on all those fronts, offering a joyful, elevated QSR experience unlike anything else.

1851 Franchise: Jollibee’s high average gross sales is impressive. How does that impact the type of franchisee you're looking for?

Dela Cruz: It’s true — our average gross sales are over $4.5 million¹. But that level of performance means we have to be even more careful about who we choose as franchisees.

We're looking for franchisees who align with our shared values: customer focus, humility to listen and learn, integrity, speed with excellence, and a spirit of family and fun.

Strong financial capability is important, of course. But just as important is having the right heart — a genuine commitment to people and operations. We want franchisees who believe in winning through people, not just chasing financial returns.

1851 Franchise: What are your immediate goals for Jollibee’s growth?

Dela Cruz: Our short-term goal is to bring the right franchisees into the system and continue growing responsibly.

We currently operate in 14 — soon to be 15 — U.S. states. Our initial focus will be on optimizing growth in the states where we already have a presence, building brand awareness, strengthening the supply chain and supporting franchisees with robust infrastructure.

1851 Franchise: As you grow, how do you see Jollibee’s customer demographic evolving?

Dela Cruz: It’s been wonderful to see our customer base broaden.

Originally, about 95% of our U.S. customers were Filipino Americans. Now, in many locations, 50% to 70% of our customers are from the general population.

Social media, word of mouth and a strong brand experience have helped us introduce Jollibee to new audiences. And we continue to see strong organic demand, with customers driving hours and waiting in long lines to visit a new Jollibee opening.

1851 Franchise: How is your menu evolving to support mainstream appeal?

Dela Cruz: Our bestselling Chickenjoy fried chicken remains at the heart of our menu. It’s been named the best fast-food fried chicken not just in America, but also in Singapore and Hong Kong.

We've innovated with spicy Chickenjoy, introduced Chicken Sandwiches and continued evolving our menu to resonate with broader tastes — but always with a Jollibee twist.

We offer unique items like Jolly Spaghetti and Peach Mango Pie, using real Philippine mangoes. We’re constantly balancing familiarity and innovation to delight both longtime fans and first-timers.

1851 Franchise: You’re clearly passionate about culture. How would you describe Jollibee’s internal culture?

Dela Cruz: At Jollibee, positivity is everything. Hard work is part of the business, but so is finding joy in what we do. We aim to create a joyful experience for our team members so that they can naturally extend that feeling to our customers.

Culture matters immensely in franchising. It’s what pushes candidates over the edge — not just the business opportunity, but the feeling they get when they visit us, meet our team and experience our hospitality firsthand.

1851 Franchise: What’s the final message you want prospective franchisees to hear?

Dela Cruz: We are committed to growing responsibly. We’ve built a strong, successful brand with proven financial performance. But more importantly, we’re deeply invested in helping to set our franchise partners up for long-term success.

We’re looking for people who share our values, believe in our mission and want to be part of something joyful and lasting. If that resonates with you, we’d love to have you join us on this exciting journey to become one of the top five restaurant companies in the world.

The total initial investment for a Jollibee franchise ranges from $1.64 million to $4.89 million², including a $40,000 franchise fee. Franchisees pay a royalty of 5%, with an additional 4% for marketing contributions. To learn more about franchising with Jollibee, visit https://www.jollibeefoods.com/franchising.

This information is not intended as an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, a franchise. It is for informational purposes only. Currently, the following states regulate the offer and sale of franchises: California, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. If you are a resident of one of these states, we will not offer you a franchise unless and until we have complied with applicable pre-sale registration and disclosure requirements in your jurisdiction.

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¹ Annual gross sales is derived from 71 reporting locations open for all of 2024 (70 corporate and 1 franchised; 33 free-standing and 38 in-line). Annual gross sales for free-standing ranged from $1,731,944 to $8,752,538 with an average of $4,552,103 (14 / 42.4 % exceeded avg). Annual gross sales for in-line ranged from $2,047,256 to $9,906,004 with an average of $4,626,370 (16 / 42.1% exceeded avg). Some outlets have earned this amount. Your individual results may differ. There is no assurance that you’ll earn as much.  See Item 19 of the FDD.

 
² The initial investment is an estimate based on development of corporate locations and does not include royalties or fees you will pay or any salary for an owner-operator. Costs will vary based on geographic area and building specifications and size. See Item 7 of the FDD for more information.