Love at first bite: Tim Ho Wan CEO falls for Jollibee

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February 9, 2026 | 12:00am

HONG KONG – Move over, baked barbecue pork buns. Tim Ho Wan’s CEO Sheng Lee has apparently found joy in Jollibee’s Chickenjoy.

Lee, a Hong Kong-based executive who leads Tim Ho Wan’s overall strategy and operations, is a certified Jollibee aficionado.

“Obviously for Jollibee, my favorite would actually be the Chickenjoy. And I definitely need that Peach Mango Pie. So every time I visit Jollibee, Chickenjoy and Peach Mango Pie are the must haves,” Lee told The STAR in an interview.

Lee admits eating at Jollibee often – not because he works for Asian food conglomerate Jollibee Group, but because he actually enjoys the food.

“Because I travel quite a bit for my job, in every single market where there is a Jollibee, I visit it. And Jollibee has a pretty strong presence in Hong Kong as well. So that is where I go for my comfort food, if I do not feel like having some Chinese or dim sum for the day,” he said.

But when it comes to Tim Ho Wan, Lee’s go-to grub has always been the barbecue pork buns – a signature dish made famous by what was once dubbed the world’s most affordable Michelin-starred restaurant.

“I could actually have multiple buns a day. That is something I fell in love with many years ago, and that is what I would still go for every single time,” he said.

Jollibee and Tim Ho Wan share similar origins, each serving as a cultural ambassador for its home country.

Jollibee is a Philippine household name, synonymous with children’s parties, family celebrations and the occasional “you deserve it” treat, while Tim Ho Wan has become a Hong Kong staple built on the belief that high-quality dim sum should be accessible to all.

“From Tokyo to Los Angeles, Manila to Singapore, guests are discovering that Tim Ho Wan is more than a restaurant. We are the cultural ambassador for Hong Kong, showcasing the city’s culinary excellence on a global stage. And wherever we go, we aspire to carry the taste of Hong Kong to the world, creating not just food, but the simple joy of being  together,” Lee said.

Under Lee’s leadership, Tim Ho Wan, a dim sum restaurant chain founded in 2009 and fully acquired by Jollibee in 2025, has strengthened consistency, elevated the dining experience and reinforced Hong Kong as the brand’s culinary home.

Lee’s liking for Jollibee, meanwhile, reflects the brand’s growing appeal to the international market.

After dominating its home market for decades, the homegrown fast-food chain founded by Tony Tan Caktiong has conquered new territories globally, with more to be pursued in the coming years.

With over 1,800 stores across 17 countries as of the third quarter of 2025, Jollibee was recognized as the world’s second-fastest-growing restaurant brand last year by brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance.

“Our commitment is simple: superior taste everywhere we grow as the Jollibee Group taste is not just a brand promise, it’s actually our purpose,” JFC International CEO and Jollibee Group global chief financial and risk officer Richard Shin said.

“Across the Jollibee Group, we’re building a portfolio that can compete and also win on a global stage. One of our long-term aspirations is to be top five in the restaurant space, and that is measured by market capitalization. And of course, achieving that requires brands that can be in categories as I’ve just described, scale internationally and deliver consistent great taste,” he added.

The Jollibee Group now includes nine wholly owned brands, five franchised brands and ownership stakes in other key brands like The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Compose Coffee, Milksha and SuperFoods Group, which operates Highlands Coffee.