Jollibee Foods Corp. (JFC) said Wednesday it will open this year the first branch of Singaporean chain Common Man Coffee in Makati City.
JFC said in a statement the first branch will be located at Ayala Triangle Gardens.
“Location is key in establishing Common Man’s foothold in the country,” said JFC Group chief real estate and design officer William Tan Untiong.
“The Ayala Triangle Gardens is at the heart of Makati’s Central Business District and a hub for many great concepts in the city. For this reason, it is only fitting that we set up shop in this prime location that will enable us to fully bring the signature Common Man Coffee Roasters concept to life,” he said.
The Common Man Coffee Roasters operates all-day dining restaurants in Singapore and Malaysia. It also offers coffee roasting, sale of coffee products and operates Coffee Barista Academy.
“We are excited to launch Common Man Coffee Roasters in Manila at this very special location in Ayala Triangle. As with all our cafes, the café design is very creative and not the run of the mill. We are also excited to have a roastery on site so we can showcase the roasting process to our customers, offering a dining and sensory experience,” said Michael Bovell, general manager of Spa Esprit Food Group, which operates Common Man Coffee Roasters in Singapore.
Common Man Coffee Roasters is one of the two Singaporean food and beverage brands that JFC plans to bring to the Philippines.
The second is Tiong Bahru Bakery, which is famous for its baked goods and coffee. It operates 16 cafés across Singapore.
JFC and Food Collective Pte. Ltd. of Singapore established a joint venture company in August that will own and operate Tiong Bahru Bakery and Common Man Coffee Roasters in the Philippines
JFC owns 60 percent of the business, and FCPL holds the remaining 40 percent.
Both companies agreed to invest up to P250 million in the venture which will have its own resources and personnel.
JFC is taking the lead in the management and operation of the business.