Jollibee to replace Wagamama in Earl's Court
The restaurant, the UK debut for which was mooted in July, secured the Earl's Court site through property company AG&G.
The site was chosen due to Earl's Court’s high level of Filipino residents, says AG&G director Richard Negus.
“At first we (AG&G and Wagamama) were a little unsure of Jollibee’s covenant, but this was quickly settled when around the same time the company made a billion [dollar] offer to acquire Pret A Manager,” says Negus.
The launch will form part of the company’s expansion plan that will see it open 500 sites, 250 of which will be in the Philippines.
Ernesto Tanmantiong, president of the Philippines fast food group, said last year that the company aimed to be one of the world’s five biggest restaurant operators by 2025.
Earlier this year the company, the current market value of which is $5.2bn, acquired a majority stake in Smashburger, and launched sites under the Jollibee brand in Milan, Toronto and Macau.
It aims to have an equal contribution in sales from its local and international outlets by 2023.
A favourite of the late Anthony Bourdain, Jollibee is known for its Chickenjoy fried chicken; spaghetti and sauce, which it describes as “the spaghettiest”; and unusual breakfast dishes such as corned beef with garlic rice and egg.
