Julie’s President and CEO, Joseph Gandionco, recently announced that the Filipino entrepreneurial and franchising success story that began more than four decades ago in Cebu is set to open its 600th store in quarter three of this year.
“We are pleased to say that what my mother started has continued to grow and move forward of having a Julie’s in every barangay so that no Filipino goes hungry,” Gandionco said. The community is at the heart of every Julie’s bakeshop.
Photo: Julie’s Bakeshop
Julie’s, the country’s largest bakeshop chain, was the brainchild of then canteen operator Julie Gandionco as a result of her need to provide bread products for her business. In 1981, then 50-year old Cebuana entrepreneur opened the first Julie’s in Wireless, Mandaue.
The second-generation CEO added, “When we celebrated our 40th year, we had 450 stores and more than 70 franchisees nationwide. As we hit our 42nd year in business, we are pushing to open our 600th. This milestone hopefully can serve as inspiration to our countless countrymen to realize that it is never too late to begin a business – that with the desire to do good, with the welfare of the community at the foundation, you are sure to succeed.”
Photo: Julie’s Bakeshop
When the pandemic hit, Julie’s was one of the first companies to heed the call for help by way of a crowd-sourcing program designed to augment Julie’s loaves of bread donations to front liners. In order to ensure continuity of business during the lockdown, Julie’s began a delivery program and spearheaded a reseller program to provide livelihood for communities called “Sarap ng Buhay sa Tinapay”.
To find out more about Julie’s please visit www.juliesbakeshop.com.ph and be a part of the community by liking their page at www.facebook.com/JuliesBakeshop.
