Winnipeg, Manitoba

First location in Canada

By Ted Alcuitas

Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC), the world’s 9th largest restaurant company, brings an early Christmas gift to Canadians as it opens its first-ever store in the country on December 15.

The store located at 1406 Ellice Ave. near the airport right beside U.S. food-chain giants McDonalds and Starbucks.

It will feature the famous Jollibee treats like the Jolly Crispy Chicken, Jolly Spaghetti, Jolly Hotdog, and Peach Mango Pie.

A press conference will be held on December 14 with Jollibee’s senior executives in attendance including  Jollibee Foods Corporation Group President for North America and Foreign Franchises in the Philippines, Jose Miñana and Vice President/General Manager JFC North America, Maribeth Dela Cruz.

The fast-food chain dubbed the McDonalds of the Philippines plans to open more stores in  Scarborough, Edmonton, and Mississauga, according to a press release.

There are 662,605 Canadians with ethnic origins in the Philippines. Winnipeg has the third largest Filipino community in Canada by total population, and the largest by percentage (8.7%).

As of January 2015, there are more than 3,000 Jollibee restaurants worldwide.