Do we like them?

Do we like Jollibee?

Philippine fast-food group: Jollibee, Chowking, Mang Inasal, Smashburger and more. Over 10,700 stores in 33 countries. Based in Manila.

Our score: 6 out of 10. Mostly decent: farmer support and waste cuts are real. But worker complaints in the US and the Philippines, and weak climate targets, keep it short of a hearty yes.

Jollibee began in 1975 as two ice-cream parlours in Cubao, Manila, run by Tony Tan Caktiong. Customers preferred the hot food, so he pivoted to burgers and chicken. His younger brother Ernesto Tanmantiong joined early and has been CEO since 2014. Tony stayed on as chairman and "chief taste officer".

Today it's a big group. The Philippine Star says it has 20 brands and over 10,700 stores and cafés in 33 countries. It's now eyeing a Hong Kong listing for its international arm, targeted for Q3 2027, instead of the US listing it planned before.

The drama is mostly about workers. In 2023 AsAmNews reported that the US labour board was moving ahead with charges over nine workers fired at a New Jersey store. Jollibee said it was a last-in, first-out workforce reduction. Al Jazeera also reported accusations of keeping Philippine staff on indefinite contracts.

On the bright side, the Farmer Entrepreneurship Program helps small Filipino farmers sell directly to Jollibee. Its 2025 sustainability report says over 1,625 farmers take part. A food-waste-to-fertiliser deal with Nutricycle, plus a reported 44% cut in food waste at its factories, adds to the good side.

Our score is 6. The farmer and waste work is real. But the labour disputes and an NGO benchmark that found no emissions targets stop us calling it a clear winner. We'd back it, but we'd keep watching how it treats its crews.