Jollibee expands US operations, to open another branch in LA

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Jollibee expands US operations, to open another branch in LA
Posted: 1:55 AM | Apr. 17, 2006
Elizabeth L. Sanchez
Inquirer

Published on Page B12 of the April 17, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

 

JOLLIBEE Foods Corp., The country's largest fast food chain, is opening a new store in Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles next week, said Tommy Y. King, vice president for Jollibee's US operations.

 

Aside from the Beverly Boulevard branch that will open on April 16, Jollibee is also slated to open another store in Panorama City in Southern California by July.

 

Once the stores open, Jollibee will have a total of 11 branches in the United States, mostly in California.

 

Jollibee believes it can reverse the weakness in its operations in the competitive US market.

 

Also, Jollibee is planning on opening a store in China, where it has already gained a foothold through its recently acquired Chinese fast food brand, Yonghe King.

 

According to King, Jollibee has invested between $350,000 to $660,000 on the average, in setting up the store in Los Angeles.

 

Sales in its US stores grew 14.6 percent as of February, and 10 percent in January. One store typically posts sales of roughly $3,000 a day.

 

Jollibee is also studying a plan to put up a store in Las Vegas, and relocate its closed store in Vallejo, California to another site within the city.

 

Jollibee closed the Vallejo store last January.

 

From January to September last year, Jollibee reported a 6 percent growth in net income to P1.18 billion.

 

The Jollibee Group, the largest fast food chain in the country, operates a total of 1,429 stores in the country.