Jollibee hums at Paseo de Sta. Rosa

Like bees to flowers, Jollibee, the multibillion-peso Filipino fastfood success, will always be in places where business is thriving.

With 400 outlets to date, 22 of which are in the United States and Hong Kong/China corridor, the 102nd Jollibee store in the Southern Luzon area will soon rise at Paseo de Sta. Rosa, a Mediterranean-inspired commercial center at Greenfield Development Corp.’s 300-hectare Sta. Rosa Business Park (SRBP) in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

"We see a lot of opportunity and growth in Sta. Rosa Business Park," said Lilia S. Reventar, Jollibee vice president for South Luzon Business Operations.

Duane A.X. Santos, Greenfield’s vice president for sub-urban development, explained Paseo de Sta. Rosa has a captive market from a number of subdivisions built across the firm’s property.

"Just across Paseo is 150 hectares of live-in, middle income community and 500 hectares of industrial enterprises (mostly multinational) employing more than 60,000 workers. As other developments focused only on industrial and residential concerns, Paseo is aimed at addressing the commercial needs of this captive market," Santos stressed.

Complementing Jollibee’s flagship store – the newly inaugurated two-story, 395-seater on Pilipinas Shell’s southbound gasoline station on the South Luzon Expressway – the food chain’s outlet at SRBP’s Paseo will be situated within the CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) growth corridor.

"We expect to begin construction in September. It will be a full-sized, stand alone store equipped with a drive through and playground facilities," Reventar said.

CALABARZON residents will not merely enjoy dining at another popular fastfood store, but also stand to gain economically from the fusion of the country’s two pioneering spirits. And taken as a rule of thumb, where Jollibee and Greenfield are, business will follow.

Jollibee grew from a modest two-branch ice cream parlor in Cubao and Quiapo in 1975 to a P20.3-billion business concern. Greenfield, on the other hand, is SRBP’s owner-developer that has more than 30 years of experience in property development tucked under its belt.

Charting the development of future urban centers, Greenfield pioneered the commercialization of its nearly 10-hectare EDSA Central Complex when most of the eastern side of the now-historical highway from Shaw Boulevard to Ortigas Avenue was still a cogonal area.

The EDSA Central Complex consists of a wet market, clusters of commercial buildings catering to merchants that offer the best bargains in the metropolis; cinemas; restaurants and fastfood outlets (two of which are Jollibee’s); office buildings; and a public transportation station that accommodates more than 3,000 buses, jeepneys and FX taxis serving most towns of Rizal.

SRBP is born out of the growing business in CALABARZON, which aims to satisfy the specific needs of export-oriented locators for a complete business environment. The business park has advanced road and communications infrastructures; security; amenities like the Paseo de Sta. Rosa, which has a mall, restaurant rows, the Sta. Rosa Country market and a 300-fleet FX taxi and jeepney station; and vast landscaped open spaces.

"We will develop SRBP to become a full-service business district for CALABARZON comprising of a residential, commercial, recreational and light to medium industrial center in a green, relaxing atmosphere," assured Renato E. Lirio, Greenfield senior vice president and general manager.