Jollibee to bring Tim Ho Wan to other markets in Southeast Asia

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February 5, 2026 | 12:00am

HONG KONG – Jollibee Group’s flagship Chinese cuisine brand Tim Ho Wan is looking at entering new markets in Southeast Asia as part of its global expansion push, while also continuing to beef up its presence in existing markets like the Philippines.

Tim Ho Wan CEO Sheng Lee told The STAR that among the markets being considered for the brand’s expansion in the region include Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia.

“Within Southeast Asia, there are still markets where we are still not present in yet. So we are actually evaluating those markets,” Lee said.

“Some markets like Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. So these are markets that we are currently looking at and in discussions of looking at potential franchisees that we could actually work with to expand our presence into these markets,” he said.

Tim Ho Wan serves as a key pillar of the Jollibee Group’s Chinese cuisine platform and a clear contributor to its international growth agenda.

The brand currently has a network of 85 stores across 11 markets. In Southeast Asia, it has presence in the Philippines with 16 stores; in Taiwan, also with 16 stores and Vietnam with two branches.

“For Philippines, we currently operate 16 stores. And the Philippines is a very good example of a market where Tim Ho Wan is really the introduction to authentic Cantonese cuisine for consumers. With our franchise partner, we will continue to be looking at opportunities to further expand within the Philippines as well,” Lee said.

“We have been primarily Manila-focused, but we have actually started venturing a bit further into Baguio, Cebu and we are beginning to learn what is the receptivity of the brand in the other provinces,” he said.

Lee said Tim Ho Wan has seen good traction in its newly opened stores in the Philippines.

“We look at opportunities around the world. We do see a growing demand for authentic Cantonese cuisine, specifically dim sum, around the world. And when we look at who’s playing in this space, we noticed that there’s actually a gap. There’s no true global dim sum player that is available,” he said.

Lee said Hong Kong, Tim Ho Wan’s home market, continues to remain an opportunity for growth.

Tim Ho Wan opened yesterday its newest restaurant at Mikiki Mall in Kowloon, bringing its footprint in Hong Kong to 10 locations, which is double its store count a year ago.

Hong Kong serves as Tim Ho Wan’s benchmark market, where operating disciplines are refined before being replicated across both company-operated and franchised territories.

Since joining the Jollibee Group, the brand has further bolstered its operational systems, including tighter standard operating procedures, stepped-up store audits and continued investment in chef capability and quality controls.

“Hong Kong is where Tim Ho Wan began, and where our standards are set and proven. Across all stores, we focus on Cantonese craftsmanship, taste and quality, supported by a stronger operational discipline that ensures authentic flavors are delivered consistently. Those fundamentals give us the confidence to grow while staying true to what defines Tim Ho Wan,” Lee said.

JFC International CEO Richard Shin said Tim Ho Wan reflects the Jollibee Group’s purpose of delivering superior taste and joyful dining experiences to more people, showing how culinary heritage can be scaled successfully when supported by disciplined systems.

“With a profitable Hong Kong network as the foundation, we are optimistic that Tim Ho Wan is well-positioned to expand to more markets worldwide, as it works toward becoming the first truly global dim sum brand,” he said.

Tim Ho Wan recently opened its first company-operated store in North America, in Irvine, California, marking another important step in its international expansion.

Tim Ho Wan intends to open 20 branches in North America by 2028.

The Jollibee Group invested $45 million in 2018 to own a 45 percent participating interest in Titan Dining LP, which was the master franchisee of Tim Ho Wan in Asia-Pacific, and has since raised its investment in the brand.

In late 2024, its wholly owned subsidiary, Jollibee Worldwide Pte. Ltd, entered into a share purchase agreement with Titan Dining Group Ltd., a subsidiary of Titan Dining LP, for the acquisition by JWPL of 166.46 million shares of Tim Ho Wan Holdings Pte. Ltd., the owner and operator of Tim Ho Wan, for 20.2 million Singapore dollars.

The Jollibee Group completed its take over of the management and ownership of Tim Ho Wan last year following the completion of the transaction.