New marketing VP has big plans for Jollibee

MANILA, Philippines - More exciting times are ahead for the country’s leading fast food chain as it brings another marketing expert into its fold. Taking the reins of Jollibee’s marketing group as its new vice president is Albert Cuadrante, who brings with him over 15 years of experience in brand management.

Prior to his post in Jollibee, Cuadrante served as the marketing director of Red Ribbon Bakeshop — also a Jollibee Foods Corporation company — where he played a key role in growing the Red Ribbon business with record-level sales, despite the difficult economic environment. Prior to that, he was with multinational corporation Procter & Gamble as the senior brand manager for its global laundry brands.

Cuadrante is also the founder and director of Acumen Strategic Consulting, Inc., a marketing consultancy firm, and a part-time professor of advertising, promotions and marketing at his alma mater Ateneo de Manila University.

As Jollibee vice president, Cuadrante aims to make the chain more visible locally and internationally, and to strengthen the brand’s affinity with the growing and changing markets.

“We are geared to make sure that Jollibee is globally competitive because the playing field is not just local anymore. I want to make sure that Jollibee, both as a company and as a brand, is seen as one of the best Marketing practitioners as well as marketing models throughout the globe,” he explains.

For Cuadrante, the vision is to bring to the rest of the world the Jollibee experience that Filipinos have come to love.

While Jollibee currently has over 670 stores locally, Cuadrante believes that the real potential of the Philippine market is yet to be maximized. He cites that most of the stores are still concentrated in the major urban areas, prompting those in rural communities to journey to neighboring towns just to get their Jollibee fix.

“I think the opportunity to become very accessible is still very huge. Plus, the local population is still growing,” he says.

He also plans to strengthen and support the brand’s presence and expansion in the US, Middle East and Asia.

A family man himself with two growing and active boys, his core strategy is to take inspiration from Filipino ideals — solid family values, spirit of resilience and a sense of fun — and use these in promoting the brand globally.

To accomplish this, Cuadrante stresses the role of research and deep consumer understanding. He explains that because of political, economic and cultural situations, the love for family – though a universal concept - may be manifested differently across countries. The brand must understand these differences to be relatable to the communities.

Growing a beloved brand

Cuadrante admits that one of the biggest challenges he faces is how to grow the brand even more. Historically, Jollibee has been successful when it comes to product innovations, and it is a thrust that the new vice president for marketing wants to strengthen.

“We want to ensure that those who go to our store will have their favorites as well as new things to look forward to,” he says.

Cuadrante shares: “If there’s one thing that I’d like people to latch onto is that Jollibee has always been and is still is their second home. Customers can look forward to more great tasting and affordable products, as well as activities that will help further strengthen the bond of Filipino families.”