Retail News CRM

Author: Mei Ling Tan

  • Loob to bring Tealive to China, eyes 500 outlets within 3 years

    Loob to bring Tealive to China, eyes 500 outlets within 3 years

    Loob Holding Sdn Bhd, the creator of Malaysia’s Tealive bubble tea brand, today announced a joint venture with two China companies to bring 500 Tealive stores to China within three years.

    The Malaysian company inked the deal with Zhejiang Boduo International Trade Co Ltd and Shanghai Panfei International Trade Co Ltd at a ceremony attended by retail and franchise industry officials as well as government representatives from Malaysia and China.

    CEO Bryan Loo signed for Loob Holding, which will take a 51% majority stake in the joint venture known as Shanghai Loob Boduo Food and Beverage Co Ltd, subject to company registration approval by the relevant authorities in China.

    Loo said the joint venture would see the first Tealive outlet opening in Shanghai this September before more stores being opened in other selected cities. He expressed confidence that the joint-venture would be able to achieve the targeted 500 stores in three years.

    “Barely six months after the birth of Tealive, we took the brand to Vietnam and we now have five outlets. We have penetrated the Australian market with our first store there next month. Just last month, we appointed our master franchisee in India and we are targeting 140 outlets within five years,” Loo said.

    China, the world’s largest tea market, will be the fourth overseas market for Tealive.

    Loo said Tealive served 2.5 million consumers each month in its 175 outlets and the brand was still expanding every week.

    On prospects in China, Loo said latest indicators were that the market for tea in China had now exceeded US$21 billion per year.

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  • Supreme and Nike sneaker collaboration is launched

    Supreme and Nike sneaker collaboration is launched

    Supreme and Nike have teamed up to release one of the highest-profile sneaker collaborations this year.

    The cross-branded release updates Nike’s road racing Air Streak Spectrum Plus, originally released back in 2003, with a new version in black with lime and blue flames “Black/Volt”. Another variant is the original white and red colourway “White/Habanero-Red”.

    Both designs are upgraded with a mesh upper, Phylon midsole, and a mesh tongue carrying the Supreme logo. The insoles are dual branded.

    The Supreme x Nike Air Streak Spectrum Plus Spring 2018 collection will be released on June 14 (June 16 in Japan) exclusively at Supreme stores and on its website.

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  • Samsung Electronics calls for retrial in Apple case

    Samsung Electronics calls for retrial in Apple case

    Samsung Electronics on Tuesday called for a retrial of the latest ruling by a U.S. court, which ordered the Korean tech giant to pay Apple $539 million over design infringement.

    The Korean tech giant claimed that the amount awarded to Apple by the latest ruling is excessive, demanding that the U.S. District Court in San Jose, California, reconsider the ruling.

    The conflict between the two companies surrounding alleged design infringement started in 2011, with the court ruling ordering Samsung to compensate Apple coming in May.

    The U.S. company claimed Samsung violated its designs, such as a “black rectangular front face with rounded corners,” a “rectangular front face with rounded corners and a raised rim” and a “grid of 16 colorful icons on a black screen.”

    Shortly after the court ruling, Samsung said it would “consider all options to obtain an outcome that does not hinder creativity and fair competition for all companies and consumers.”

  • As plastic sector booms, Vietnamese firms are easy prey

    As plastic sector booms, Vietnamese firms are easy prey

    Major Vietnamese plastics firms are being taken over in a big way by foreign firms from Thailand, Japan and South Korea.

    In April, Thai business conglomerate Siam Cement Group (SCG) acquired over 50 percent of shares in Binh Minh Plastics (BMP), a big player in Vietnam’s plastics industry. Previously, SCG had already poured in $121 million to acquire seven other Vietnamese plastics firms, according to a report.

    Japan is also gearing up to conquer Vietnam’s plastics sector. Japan-based Sekisui Chemical has become a strategic partner in Tien Phong Plastics, acquiring 25 percent of the company’s shares last year, and Japan’s Meiwa Pax Group has paid $16.5 million to buy HCMC-based packaging firm Sapaco.

    South Korea firms have also jumped into the fray, with packaging firm Dongwon Systems acquiring over 97 percent of Tan Tien Plastics in 2016. Tan Tien is a frontrunner in Vietnam’s packaging industry, and a major partner for several big companies operating in Vietnam, such as Unilever, Ajinomoto, Trung Nguyen or Vinamilk.

    Vietnam has become a ripe destination for foreign firms because the plastics industry has been booming. For the last 3 years, it has grown by 15-17 percent each year.

    In 2016, Vietnam housed over 2,000 firms in the country. The annual per capita consumption of plastics in Vietnam is around 41 kilograms, according to Vietnamese securities firm Vietcombank Securities. That number is projected to increase to 45 kilograms per person in 2020, according to the Vietnam Plastics Association.

    “Vietnam’s plastics sector has great potential to grow,” said Kubo Hajime, a management board member of Sekisui Chemicals.

    Vietnam’s cheap labor and material costs is also an advantage, economist Dinh The Hien said. He said the fact that Vietnam is part of several trade agreements, most notably the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, helps.

    Vietnamese plastics firms lack the necessary capital, technology and high-skilled labor required to compete in an increasingly tougher market, said Ho Duc Lam, President of Vietnam Plastics Association.

    “Another problem for Vietnamese plastics firms would be high production costs, which leads to high prices,” he said.

    Vietnam needs to focus more on targeting the right customers with the right products to compete, an unnamed representative of a Vietnamese plastics firm said.

    “We would also need to invest more in technology and machinery to upgrade our assembly chains, thus increase our product quality and reduce production costs,” he said.

    Last year, the plastic sector recorded an export value of over $3 billion, a year-on-year increase of 17.6 percent.

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  • CGF issues call to action on forced labour

    CGF issues call to action on forced labour

    Retailers and manufacturers from around the world meeting in Singapore this week have pledged to end worker fees within 10 years and to end forced labour in the supply chain.

    At the Global Forum on Responsible Recruitment and Employment, today, which precedes the Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) Global Summit at Marina Bay Sands, has issued a call to action aligned with the International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and with the support of the Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB).

    Business leaders have the opportunity to eradicate forced labour through the global mainstreaming of the CGF’s Priority Industry Principles on Forced Labour, which state:

    • Every worker should have freedom of movement;
    • No worker should pay for a job; and
    • No worker should be indebted or coerced to work.

    Businesses can also work toward the eradication of worker fees in the next 10 years by implementing the Employer Pays Principle championed by the IHRB-led Leadership Group for Responsible Recruitment.

    “Forced labour is a complex issue that cannot be solved without cross-sectoral collaboration,” said Olaf Koch, chairman of hypermarket operato Metro AG and co-chair of CGF Board.

    “At Metro AG, we encourage you to rise to the challenge, and stand united with us in the global fight against forced labour. We thank the leaders from our industry and global partners, ILO and IOM, for joining us on this collective journey.”

    Grant Reid, CEO of Mars Incorporated, said two years have passed since the Consumer Goods Forum issued its global resolution to fight forced labour.

    “We remain steadfast in this commitment, and this is a call to action to accelerate the tangible steps we are taking as an industry, matching our commitment with concrete results and improvements in the lives of vulnerable people. We need to increase the pace of change on this critical issue.”

    Stand together

    The CGF says collaboration is crucial to accelerating action and driving positive change on the issue.

    “The CGF calls upon businesses to stand together in their commitment to combat the exploitation of human beings for the purposes of compulsory labour through the use of force or other forms of coercion, fraud or deception,” the organisation said in a statement released after the meeting.

    “Committing to work together with industry peers, and welcoming the efforts of institutions, organisations, and coalitions engaged in the fight against forced labour is vital. Businesses are asked to join forces with the ILO, IOM and IHRB, experts in the field of modern slavery, to put an end to these abhorrent crimes once and for all.”

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  • Nine West, Bandolino brands sold for $340m

    Nine West, Bandolino brands sold for $340m

    Nine West Holdings Inc. has sold its Nine West and Bandolino footwear and handbag businesses at a court auction to Authentic Brands Group for $340 million.

    Nine West Holdings Inc. has sold its Nine West and Bandolino footwear and handbag businesses at a court auction to Authentic Brands Group for $340 million.

    The brand management firm won the auction by bidding more than $140 million over its initial stalking horse bid.

    Ralph Schipani, chief executive officer of Nine West, said, “We are pleased to have completed this important step in our restructuring and are now focused on moving forward with the reorganization of our remaining businesses with the support of our key stakeholder groups.”

    ABG chairman and ceo Jamie Salter said, “The addition of these two brands enhances ABG’s growing lifestyle portfolio, while launching our global footwear platform. We see incredible opportunity to expand the brands beyond footwear and handbags, specifically in the apparel and home categories as well as in new markets around the world.”

    Once the sale is approved by a Manhattan bankruptcy court and the deal has closed, ABG will assume all the licensing partnerships and marketing initiatives for both brands. ABG named Marc Fisher Footwear as operator of the footwear businesses and Signal Products as operator of the handbag businesses. A court hearing is scheduled for June 18 and a closing date is slated for July 15.

    Nick Woodhouse, president and chief marketing officer of ABG, said, “This purchase elevates ABG’s footwear and accessories business to over $2 billion in global retail sales and brings our portfolio to nearly $8 billion.”

    Nine West Holdings filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy court protection in April in a Manhattan bankruptcy court.

    Nine West Holdings sold the two businesses so it can recapitalize its balance sheet. The sale will help the bankrupt firm restructure operations so it can focus on its profitable businesses — One Jeanswear Group, its Jewelry Group, the Kasper Group and its Anne Klein business. The company has said it plans to exit bankruptcy court proceedings around September.

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  • Lotte Mart begins selling menstrual cups today

    Lotte Mart begins selling menstrual cups today

    Lotte Mart began selling menstrual cups at its online and brick-and-mortar stores today.

    The discount chain will sell two variations of “WithCup” in two different sizes, both priced at 39,000 won ($36.21). WithCup was the first menstrual cup made in Korea to receive safety approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety last month. It is cheaper than the foreign products that consumers previously had to buy online.

    The launch makes Lotte Mart the first discount chain to sell menstrual cups. Menstrual cups rose as an alternative to sanitary pads last year when the safety of several sanitary products fell into question. But most of them had to be purchased through foreign shopping websites as menstrual cups were only approved to be officially imported into Korea in December.

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  • Amorepacific loses a cushion compact patent

    Amorepacific loses a cushion compact patent

    The Supreme Court dismissed Amorepacific’s patent on cushion compacts, putting an end to a three-year legal battle, according to the company on Tuesday.

    Amorepacific appealed a Patent Court of Korea ruling in February that invalidated the company’s patent for cushion compacts on the grounds that the product lacked “inventiveness.” This meant that its manufacturing didn’t have innovative technology not found elsewhere in the industry.

    The Supreme Court decision, which came on May 31, concludes a three-year legal struggle between the beauty giant and six domestic beauty companies, including Cosmax, an original design manufacturer for well-known local and global brands.

    Cushion compacts contain liquids like color foundation or sunscreen in a case, which was first used for skin powder. A sponge inside the case holds the liquids so they don’t flow out. Cushion compacts were first released by Amorepacific’s Iope brand in 2008, and became one of the company’s biggest successes. Now, cushion compacts are released by global names like Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent and L’Oreal.

    In 2011, Amorepacific registered a local patent for cushion compacts, which it described as a “cosmetic that includes urethane foam soaked with product.”

    In 2015, the six smaller beauty companies filed a suit in the patent court to annul Amorepacific’s patent on the grounds that urethane foam has been used in beauty products in the past. Cosmax was also sued by Amorepacific the following year for patent infringement.

    Amorepacific possesses more than 400 patents worldwide related to cushion compacts, but the one related to the usage of urethane foam as the sponge that holds the liquid is especially important. Manufacturers like Kolmar Korea and Cosmecca Korea paid loyalty fees to use the technique.

    Many beauty companies have since developed their own methods and materials to use in cushion compacts, but in the products’ early days, most followed Amorepacific’s model. If the court had ruled in favor of Amorepacific, this would have given the company grounds to ask for compensation for patent infringement.

    The patent court’s first ruling was in favor of Amorepacific, but the second one annulled the patent, so the beauty giant appealed to the Supreme Court but failed to receive a nod.

    “The domestic patent was annulled, but the same patent is still effective abroad, so we will continue exercising our rights to protect our technology in overseas markets,” said an Amorepacific spokesman.

  • Gold price swings take shine off Malaysia’s Poh Kong Q3

    Gold price swings take shine off Malaysia’s Poh Kong Q3

    Poh Kong Holdings Bhd’s net profit for the third quarter ended April 30, 2018 fell 41.8% to RM4.31 million from RM7.4 million a year ago, as the fluctuation of gold prices affected the group’s operating profits.

    Revenue, however, increased 17.2% to RM240.44 million compared with RM205.23 million in the previous year’s corresponding quarter due to the increase in demand for gold jewellery and investment products, and additional revenue contribution from new outlets in the current quarter under review.

    For the nine-month period, Poh Kong’s net profit dropped 5% to RM14.48 million from RM15.24 million a year ago, while revenue jumped 18.5% to RM731.35 million compared with RM617.01 million in the corresponding period last year.

    The group is optimistic in maintaining its growth and leading position in Malaysia despite more challenging and competitive conditions in the domestic jewellery market.

    “Notwithstanding uncertainties in the global and regional economies, fundamentals in Malaysia remain resilient, which have enabled corporate and industry players to meet their challenges and business performance.”

    Barring unforeseen circumstances, Poh Kong is confident of its resilience to weather the challenges ahead for financial year ending July 31.

  • Sony opens world’s 1st deep bass concept audio store in Malaysia

    Sony opens world’s 1st deep bass concept audio store in Malaysia

    Sony’s first Extra Bass store in Southeast Asia has just opened in Kuala Lumpur’s Sunway Pyramid Asian Avenue.

    Extra Bass was designed to provide an unusual shopping experience for consumers into sound experiences at home or on the move. Creative displays show off a range of Sony’s Extra-series products, including headphones and wireless speakers.

    Sony plans to expand the concept to create a Music Information Hub for students, working with schools and communities to encourage more young people to participate in music and the arts.

    With a focus on experience and engagement, the store’s primary goal is to broaden people’s minds about music and entertainment, rather than simply sell gadgets.

    “Living in a technological era, brick-and-mortar retail is rapidly losing ground to its online rivals,” said Nixon Ng from Chip magazine in a comment.

    “To combat this, concept stores have appeared on the scene, ready to stimulate our senses and tempt us back to the physical shopping world … It’s a space where art, culture and commerce collide to promote a particular lifestyle.”

     

     

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  • Deadline for entries to Asia Food Innovation Awards extended

    Deadline for entries to Asia Food Innovation Awards extended

    The deadline for entries to the Asia Food Innovation Awards, to be held this July in Singapore, has been extended to 13 June. The inaugural edition of this awards scheme, which builds on the reputation of the World Food Innovation Awards, will give brands a platform for their success in Asia. It is organised by FoodBev Media in conjunction with event organisers Montgomery, and will be presented at RPB Asia and Speciality & Fine Food Asia on 18 July.

    Previously the deadline had been 7 June, but the extra week will give all interested parties the chance to finish their submissions.

    The full list of judges – which includes the managing director of Montgomery Asia, experts from the world of food accelerators, and an experienced brand design specialist – was announced at the end of May.

    The inaugural Asia Food Innovation Awards are designed to recognise and reward excellence across all aspects of the global food and beverage industry – from manufacturing to ingredients, packaging to finished products.

    They will offer a unique opportunity to showcase your latest innovations at these co-located events in Singapore – ideal for brands looking to increase their exposure in Asia, looking to launch in Asia for the first time, or simply seeking to promote their products in front of an international audience.

    In addition to the prestige of winning an Asia Food Innovation Award, winners and finalists will be receiving a comprehensive PR and media package to celebrate and highlight their success. This will include dedicated coverage on FoodBev.com and FoodBev’s social media channels, as well as a comprehensive communications kit and interview opportunities for winning entrants.

    As a company, FoodBev Media has been organising industry-leading awards schemes for more than a decade. Our most established schemes, the World Dairy Innovation Awards and World Beverage Innovation Awards, are held every year at major events such as the Global Dairy Congress and BrauBeviale or Drinktec, regularly receiving more than 200 entries.

    FoodBev Media group editor Alex Clere said: “We are very exicted to launch the Asia Food Innovation Awards and celebrate the food industry’s innovation achievements in Singapore for the first time. This is an excellent opportunity for brands to showcase their latest developments in front of our panel of judges and an audience of trade professionals at the presentation ceremony itself.

    “The Asia Food Innovation Awards will extend our partnership with Fresh Montgomery – with whom we organise the World Food Innovation Awards – and brings together their established and highly regarded events with FoodBev’s track record in rewarding innovation.

    “The benefits of entering are obvious, and we look forward to celebrating your innovation achievements this July.”

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  • Asia Pacific Pet Food Market is Expected to Grow Massively

    Asia Pacific Pet Food Market is Expected to Grow Massively

    Pet food is animal or plant material that is used for consumption by pets. These products are sold through a variety of distribution channels. However, these products are primarily made available in supermarkets and pet stores. The global pet food market offers specific food, which can be categorized as dog food, bird food, fish food, and cat food among others. A major proportion of the meat that is made available as pet food is not of human grade. These materials are generally byproducts of the human food processing industry.

    Increasing purchasing power, rapid urbanization, and changing lifestyle are some major factors fueling the demand for pet food in the Asia Pacific region. Apart from this, increasing preference of the population for a nuclear family has also fueled the adoption of pets in Asia Pacific. Moreover, rising awareness about pet health has further augmented the demand. Due to both these factors, the demand for nutritious pet food as compared to ordinary pet food has increased considerably in the last few years. In addition, a number of regulatory issues, rising cases of pet allergies in humans, and growing obesity among pets are some of the major factors boosting the demand for pet food in Asia Pacific.

    Dog Food Segment Remains Dominant

    The Asia Pacific pet food market in terms of pet type is segmented into dog food, cat food, and others. The others segment includes bird food and fish food. The dog food segment holds the most prominent chunk of the market share and is expected to swell to 61.1% by 2020. The dog food segment was nearing a valuation of US$6.0 bn by the end of 2015.

    Currently, there are several kinds of dog feed available in the market, which include dry, wet or canned, nutritious, and treats. Increasing awareness about pet health is one of the major factors fueling the demand for dog food in the Asia Pacific. Moreover, changing lifestyle and rapid urbanization is also expected to boost the demand during the forecast period. Additionally, the percentage of dogs as pets has increased considerably in the region in recent past. In India, the dog population had increased to about 58.1% by 2013 and similar trend has been observed in markets of Australia, China, and South Korea.

    India Emerging as Most Lucrative Market

    Japan is one the major markets for pet food in Asia Pacific, and is expected remain the dominant market during the forecast period, reaching a market share of 36.5% by the end of 2020. This dominance in demand from Japan is attributed to apartment-culture, which is the most common type of domicile in Japan. Because of this, Japanese consumers tend to prefer smaller pets. Australia is second most prominent market for pet food in Asia Pacific, which is due to considerable increase in pet ownership in the country in recent years. A large number of households are switching to pets for security and recreational purposes. However, the demand for pet food is also expected to increase at a fastest rate in the countries of India and China.

    The pet food market in Asia Pacific is dominated by a few major brands that operate globally, such as Mars Inc., Nestle S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Co., Procter & Gamble Co., Del Monte Foods Co., Agrolimen S.A., and Unicharm Corporation. However, stiff country-wide competition is prevalent from smaller players. For example, Purina Friskies in Japan, Whiskas in Australia, Pedigree in India, and Royal Canin in South Korea.

  • Campbell Soup CEO Gets Fired

    Campbell Soup CEO Gets Fired

    Denise Morrison, Campbell Soup CEO since 2011, has retired, effective immediately, following four straight years of sales declines. Board member Keith McLoughlin will serve as interim CEO.

    Campbell Soup continues to face particularly strong competitive pressure from premium niche brands and brands with a naturally healthy positioning, according to Raphael Moreau, senior analyst at Euromonitor. “Private label also remains a major threat, especially in soup in the US,” he says, “and may also be used as a negotiating tool by retailers to obtain more favorable conditions.”

    Morrison faced an uphill struggle to heat up tepid soup sales as consumers shun processed and canned foods. Moreau says the acquisitions made under Morrison have made strong contributions toward reducing the group’s reliance on shelf-stable soup. “The acquisition of Snyder’s-Lance marked the most important step toward diversifying the business into snacks,” he explains, “although its successful integration brings challenges, with few opportunities for brand synergies.”

    Expanding its offerings of “clean label” foods, as it did by buying up organic brands such as Pacific Foods (acquired in 2017), also bring the company potential for growth, but maybe not enough. “Although the Campbell Fresh division accounts for a sizeable share of the group’s sales, its contribution to the group’s overall growth remains too modest to turn around the group’s performance,” states Moreau. “Containing the erosion of soup sales also needs to be addressed.”

    Within soup, Moreau suggests there is potential to continue a shift toward premium products—particularly focusing on organic soup and fresh soup in the US and growth opportunities in emerging markets, notably Latin America. Sweet biscuits in Asia might also help reverse the sales dive.

    Having been with Campbell for 15 years, Morrison outlasted the “15 minutes of fame” prophesized by Andy Warhol, whose pop-art Campbell’s Soup Cans provided priceless publicity for the iconic brand. Maybe Campbell should call on the art world to make its packaged foods popular again.

  • Angkasa Pura Retail opens units at Semarang terminal

    Angkasa Pura Retail opens units at Semarang terminal

    Angkasa Pura Retail has opened two shops at the new Semarang Ahmad Yani International Airport (SRG) in Central Java. The retail subsidiary of state-owned PT Angkasa Pura I has this month extended its retail footprint with two convenience shops spanning a total of 212sq m, one located landside in the public area and another airside post-security. A 135sq m airside gift shop is also set to open in due course.

    In addition, Angkasa Pura Retail will open a 105sq m gifting, souvenir and packaged food outlet at Lombok International Airport (LOP) in the coming months.

    Meanwhile, a 235sq m gift and souvenirs concept at Bali Ngurah Rai International Airport is also timed to open in August at the domestic departure area (gate six).

    ‘FLOATING TERMINAL’

    Last week, Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo inaugurated the ‘floating’ passenger terminal at Semarang, which replaces the previous 6,702sq m structure.

    Spanning 56,652sq m, the IDR 2.075tn ($149m) project has the capacity to handle 6.9m passengers annually, up from the previous 800,000 ceiling.

    According to a PWC Indonesia report earlier this year, Angkasa Pura I President Director Faik Fahmi was quoted as saying the ‘floating’ airport term relates to the fact the terminal is built on soft land, parts of which are submersed by water, using poles and pre-fabricated drainage.

    In a wide-ranging conversation during last month’s TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition & Conference in Singapore, Angkasa Pura Retail revealed plans to re-map its existing 200sq m Surabaya Duty Free concession at Juanda International Airport, where it also operates a speciality beauty outlet at T2 (Baci) and other retail and F&B units.

    The re-mapping exercise is expected to take place towards the end of the year and is designed to open up space linked to the passenger gates.

    The firm’s merchandise presence at Surabaya includes wines & spirits, tobacco and fashion and accessories. The company is also taking a fresh look at its retail product mix in line with the the spatial re-configuration, with one focus being the development of Indonesian brand Bhumi Tea.

    For last two years, it has also boasted a presence in downtown Jakarta at the Kuningan City shopping mall, trading under the name ‘Ourflock’, but that has now come to an end.

    “The business was not doing very well and closed in August 2017,” confirmed Widya Wiedagdo, Marketing & Business Development Director, Angkasa Pura Retail.

    When asked if there are future plans to re-open in downtown Jakarta, he said: “Not yet, we must take many considerations as there is a lot of competition and the situation is not good for downtown, but the airport business is ok.”

    When asked for his plans this year, Wiedagdo says the objective is to open chocolate confectionery and fashion accessories stores in travel retail, in addition to dedicating more space towards liquor and spirits at Surabaya Airport.

     

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  • Fast food chain Jollibee to open 100 Canadian stores

    Fast food chain Jollibee to open 100 Canadian stores

    Filipino fast-food chain Jollibee Food Corporation plans to open 100 stores in Canada within the next five years.

    The company says it is eyeing the wave of new locations because the country is a key growth market and a big part of its North American expansion plans.

    Jollibee attracted long lines of customers when it entered the Canadian market in 2016, opening two Winnipeg locations and a store in Scarborough, Ont. over the last three years.

    It hopes to expand further in Ontario, but is also exploring stores in Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver.

    Its aggressive expansion comes as international interest in Filipino food is rising and as Canada is attracting an increasing number of restaurants serving such food.

    Jollibee’s Filipino fare includes spaghetti in a sweet sauce, crispy chicken, burgers and peach mango pies.