MANILA, Philippines – What would you do if someone sent you a mystery treasure box with a note that said: “Don’t open until September 1.” Would you wait for the right time or pry it open to satisfy your curiosity?
On Aug. 26, STAR columnist Cecile Zamora-Van Straten posted on her chuvaness blog a photo of the treasure chest Jollibee sent her which contained information on Jollibee’s latest Langhap-Sarap offering.
I was intrigued. So I waited and regularly checked her blog for more clues.
The long wait was worth it because on Sept. 1 I witnessed the unveiling of Jollibee’s latest offering — the Jollibee Chicken Barbecue — at Astoria Hotel in Mandaluyong City.
A Tradition Of Innovation
When it comes to Filipino food, perhaps no other fast food chain has been able to reflect the true Pinoy taste in its products as Jollibee has. Since its inception in the late 1970s, the company has never failed to entice the Pinoy’s collective palate with its inventive products that have gone on to become our well-loved staples. There are the Yumburger, Jollibee Spaghetti, Palabok Fiesta, Chicken Joy, Burger Steak and Peach Mango Pie, among others.
Building on this tradition of innovation, Jollibee is confident that their latest offering – Jollibee ’s Chicken Barbecue – promises to be another hit.
“The Jollibee Chicken Barbecue reaffirms our brand’s commitment to constantly introduce innovative products that are tailored to local tastes,” noted Gold Tantoco, vice president for marketing.
Since Jollibee’s Chickenjoy is doing very well, the company felt that it was time to expand its chicken portfolio.
“It took us almost five years to finally come up with this new product. We did an extensive research and conducted surveys with our loyal customers as respondents. When we plan to launch a new product medyo matagal talaga yung gestation period,” explained Tantoco.
Tantoco and her team also studied the feasibility of offering the Chicken Barbecue in all of its stores nationwide.
“We even had a dialogue with the franchise owners to find out if they were willing to invest on the new equipment because it’s really expensive. We also had to assure them that the product had so much potential,” Tantoco added.
Needless to say, the wait was worth it. Made only from premium chicken cuts, Jollibee uses a special marinade (made from secret ingredients) to give the dish a distinct barbecue taste Pinoys will surely love.
“The chicken cuts are soaked in the marinade long enough for the flavor to sip through the meat, and thoroughly cooked while remaining juicy and tender,” Tantoco enthused.
Served with steaming java rice, the Jollibee Chicken Barbecue tickles the Pinoy palate with its sweet and smoky taste. You’ll enjoy it even without the sauce, which we find too sweet.
“The Jollibee Chicken Barbecue represents our latest product milestone. We want to give our loyal clients healthy and yummy options. Since it’s our first major product launch in years after Chickenjoy, we really made sure that we get everything right and that we come up with something truly special and appealing to Filipinos,” she said.
The Jollibee Chicken Barbecue will be a regular item on the menu. Diner‘s can enjoy it as a 1-pc. solo meal for P69; or as a 2-pc. solo meal for only P119. Value meals (which come with a regular drink), on the other hand, are priced at P89 and P139 for the 1-pc. and 2-pc. sets, respectively.
Well, I hope that Jollibee will soon offer a combo chicken meal (with spicy or original Chickenjoy and Chicken Barbecue) so diners will have the option of enjoying both in one serving.
* * *
The Jollibee Chicken Barbecue is already available in Metro Manila and will soon be enjoyed in other parts of the country.