BIZ BUZZ: Chickenjoy diplomacy
British trade diplomacy came with a side of Chickenjoy when UK Trade Minister Anas Sarwar dropped by Jollibee’s BGC Triangle Drive store during his recent Philippine visit.
Jollibee Group founder and chair Tony Tan Caktiong and global chief business support officer William Tan Untiong welcomed Sarwar and British Ambassador Sarah Hulton on Sept. 23.
The British officials toured the store, met its crew and sampled some of the homegrown fast-food giant’s best-known offerings.
These included Jolly Spaghetti, Champ Burger, Chicken Nuggets and Peach Mango Pie.
Sarwar also mingled with customers and employees, posed for selfies and received a limited-edition Jollibee Funko Pop dressed in a Barong Tagalog.
The stopover added a distinctly Filipino flavor to the first visit by a UK trade minister to the Philippines in nine years, amid efforts by Manila and London to deepen bilateral ties.
For Jollibee, which now has more than 10,700 stores and cafes across 33 countries, the high-profile visit was also a chance to serve up some food diplomacy—and
perhaps win over another Chickenjoy fan along the way.
