Australia is getting a new fast food giant: Five things you need to know about Jollibee

An Asian fast food giant is set to open its doors in Australia for the first time.

Jollibee, a fast food franchise from the Philippines, is set to open its first Australian store by 2017, according to news.com.au.

Jollibee was founded in 1978 and has enjoyed rapid growth since that time, opening hundreds of stores across the Philippines and establishing a foothold in the United States and China.

Here are five things you need to know about one of Asia’s biggest fast food giants.

1. Jollibee has an extensive menu

While Jollibee is often referred to as Asia’s answer to McDonald’s, the fast food chain does a lot more than just sell burgers, fried chicken and sundaes.

Jollibee also sells spaghetti, buttered corn and a number of rice dishes.

The company’s breakfast range offers a traditional Filipino offering of meat, garlic rice and a fried egg.

Jollibee’s broad offering — while at the same time targeting consumers hungry for Asian-style food — could be a smart way to muscle in on Australia’s $15 billion fast food industry.

Asian takeaway food has proved increasingly popular over the past few years, as seen with the success of chains such as Vietnamese franchise Roll’d.

2. Jollibee’s mascot is a bee

Like any good fast food chain, Jollibee has its own mascot: a smiling bee dressed in a tuxedo and chefs hat.

Jollibee’s founder, Tony Tan, decided on the mascot because he wanted the company to reflect the optimism and hardworking attitude of Filipinos, according to The Economist.

And in a move that will get behavioural economists nodding in approval, the Jollibee mascot is red and yellow, both colours that have been shown to increase hunger.

3. Jollibee is very, very popular

In 2013, Jollibee opened its 800th outlet in the Philippines.

The fast food giant also has a presence in the United States and has made a number of multi-million dollar acquisitions in the past 20 years.

Each year, the company also rewards the ‘most exemplary’ Filipino families as part of National Family Week with cash and a special trophy as a way of rewarding its loyal customer base.

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