Jollibee Foods Corporation (PSE: JFC), the company behind the popular Jollibee fast-food chain, has received important approval from Korea’s Fair Trade Commission to buy a popular Korean restaurant chain called “Shabu All Day.”
What’s Happening?
According to the company’s official announcement on April 16, 2026, Jollibee Group is buying Shabu All Day through Jolli-K Co., Ltd., which is a company that Jollibee owns 70% of. The purchase has now been approved by Korean regulators, which means they’re one big step closer to completing the deal.
Shabu All Day is Korea’s biggest “all-you-can-eat” hot pot restaurant chain. Think of it like an unlimited buffet, but focused on hot pot — a popular Asian meal where you cook meat and vegetables in boiling soup right at your table.
Why Is This Important for Jollibee?
This acquisition is expected to help Jollibee Group grow its business in Korea. Here’s what the numbers mean:
- Revenue boost: The deal is expected to increase Jollibee Group’s total sales by about 2%
- Profit boost: More importantly, it’s expected to increase the company’s global earnings (EBIT) by about 8%
- More stores: The acquisition will add about 1% more stores to Jollibee Group’s total store count
Note: These percentages are calculated on an annualized (yearly) basis.
About Shabu All Day
All Day Fresh Co., Ltd. operates approximately 170 Shabu All Day restaurants. What makes this chain special is that it’s the only brand in its category offering a complete all-you-can-eat menu that includes:
- Hot pot with beef as the main protein
- Various hot food items
- Unlimited desserts
- Unlimited alcohol
- All at a competitive price
Each restaurant is quite large, with an average of about 60 tables per location, which means they can serve many customers at once.
Is This a Good Investment?
According to Jollibee Group, Shabu All Day has attractive business economics. The company estimates it will take approximately 2-3 years to get back the money they invest in the acquisition — which is considered a relatively quick payback period in the restaurant industry.
What the Executives Are Saying
Ernesto Tanmantiong, Jollibee Group’s Global President and CEO, explained that securing the Korea FTC approval is an important step forward. He described the investment as strengthening their Korea growth platform and focusing on “scalable, high-return concepts” — meaning businesses that can grow easily and make good profits.
Richard Shin, Jollibee Group’s International CEO and Chief Financial Officer, noted that the FTC approval moves them closer to completing the deal, and the team is focused on a smooth completion and integration of Shabu All Day into the Jollibee Group.
Jollibee’s Growing Korean Presence
This acquisition follows Jollibee’s earlier purchase of Compose Coffee, a popular Korean coffee brand. These moves show that Jollibee Group is actively expanding its presence in South Korea, one of Asia’s important food markets.
About Jollibee Foods Corporation
For those unfamiliar, Jollibee Foods Corporation (PSE: JFC) is one of the world’s fastest-growing restaurant companies. The company operates a portfolio of 19 brands with over 10,000 stores and cafés across 33 countries. Besides its flagship Jollibee brand, the company owns or has stakes in various other food brands including Chowking, Greenwich, Red Ribbon, Mang Inasal, The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Compose Coffee, Highlands Coffee, and many others.
The announcement was filed with the Philippine Stock Exchange through SEC Form 17-C, a disclosure requirement for publicly listed companies in the Philippines.
Source Note:This article is based on the company’s official press release and disclosures filed with the Philippine Stock Exchange’s Electronic Disclosure Generation Technology (PSE EDGE) system. For the complete and official version of the announcement, readers may visit the PSE EDGE website and search for the company’s filing directly.
