Potato Corner targets 100 stores in US

MANILA, Philippines - Potato Corner has set its target to set up a total of 100 stores in the US by the end of 2013. 

Jose “Jomag” P. Magsaysay Jr., CEO of Potato Corner, made this announcement as his company gears to mark its 20th anniversary this year.  He said they have now set in motion an aggressive expansion plan in the US.

Celebrities, loyal patrons, and business partners of Potato Corner will gather on Nov. 7 at the Rockwell Tent in Makati City to celebrate Potato Corner’s 20 fruitful and successful years in the industry.  It now has 13 stores in the US, and will open seven more before the end of 2012.  

 “Potato Corner Philippines has put up a wholly owned US based company, Potato Corner International Inc. (PCI) and thru its subsidiary PCJV LLC in the USA. It is now a full fledged franchisor company that can franchise Potato Corner in the USA,” he explained.   

He added Potato Corner is now a national account of Westfield Malls and also of Sysco, its supply chain partner. “The US is where Potato Corner will be seeing most of the action in the coming years,” he enthused.

Potato Corner currently has over 250 stores in the Philippines, aside from its 13 outlets in the US, 26 in Indonesia and one each in Malaysia and Panama. They are now processing Master Franchise applications for seven more countries.

Magsaysay attributes a huge part of Potato Corner’s international success to students and young customers who patronized the brand way back when it opened its first outlet in October 1992.

“Our new partners are young, usually in their early-30s. My partners in Indonesia and Panama were former students here and were regular customers of Potato Corner,” he emphasized.

He said Potato Corner is an international phenomenon because French fries has become a basic staple. “Burger King and McDonald’s and Jollibee made French fries staple, so it is easy for us to get into the mainstream. We just added flavor to it and a touch of our DNA,” he added.

In 20 years, Magsaysay and his partners managed to develop a great concept and product, built a competent organization, come up with a good management system, and established sound corporate policies that propelled the brand to its current billing as one of a handful of Filipino franchise concepts that are successful in the global arena. 

For franchising inquiries, call Potato Corner at 534-5845, or email [email protected], or visit its website at www.potatocorner.com.