Julie's Bakeshop

Last updated

Julie's Bakeshop
Company type Private
Industry Bakery
FoundedJanuary 6, 1981;44 years ago (1981-01-06)
FounderJulia "Julie" Gandionco
Headquarters Cebu City, Philippines
Number of locations
600+ (2025)
Key people
Joseph R. Gandionco (President and CEO)
Products Pandesal, bread, pastries
Website juliesbakeshop.com.ph

Julie's Bakeshop is a chain of neighborhood bakeries in the Philippines. Established in 1981 by Julia "Julie" Gandionco in Mandaue, Cebu, it has grown to become the largest bakery chain in the country by store count, with over 600 locations as of 2025. The company operates through a mix of company-owned branches and a franchising system.

Contents

History

Origins

The company was founded by Julia "Julie" Gandionco, who entered the bread industry at the age of 50. [1] Before starting the bakery, Gandionco operated three canteens as a concessionaire for factories in the 1970s. [1] [2] She noticed a high demand for bread among factory workers, which prompted her to open her own bakery to supply her canteens. [3] The first Julie's Bakeshop opened on January 6, 1981, in Wireless, Mandaue. [4] A second branch opened three months later. [1] By 1984, the business had expanded to ten branches within Cebu. [5] The first branch outside Cebu opened in 1988. [5]

Expansion and franchising

The company began franchising in 1998, with its first franchise located in Camiguin. [6] By 1999, the company opened its system to wider franchising, which led to significant national expansion. [5] By 2011, the chain had grown to 500 stores, with approximately 99% of branches operated by 140 franchisees at that time. [6] Under the management of Virgil Espeleta, who served as president and chief operating officer during the 2000s, the chain grew from 300 to 600 stores. [7]

In 2013, the company announced plans to expand internationally by opening a branch in Tangerang, Indonesia. [8]

The company celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2021 by launching new store concepts. [9] This included a "snack shop" format at their flagship Banilad branch, which served rice meals and coffee alongside bread. [9] During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company implemented a reseller program and delivery services to maintain operations. [3] By 2022, Julie's Bakeshop held approximately 40% of the market share in the mid-price retail bakery segment in the Philippines. [10]

As of 2025, the chain has over 600 stores nationwide. [11] The company is preparing for its 45th anniversary in 2026 by expanding into more barangays in Luzon and Mindanao. [11]

Corporate affairs

Julie's Franchise Corporation manages the brand's network. [12] As of 2024, the network split was approximately 55% company-owned and 45% franchise-operated. [13] The current President and CEO is Joseph Gandionco, the son of the founder. [14]

The company promotes multi-generational franchising, where licenses are passed down from parents to children. [11] [15] As of 2025, there were 16 recognized multi-generational franchisees within the system. [11]

Products

The bakery is known for producing bread fresh every hour. [8] Its main products include Pandesal, cheese bread, Spanish bread, and "Violet Cream Loaf". [13] [12] In 2009, the company introduced a "Nutribread" line, which used coconut flour to add fiber and protein. [12] In 2016, they introduced "Pan de Julia", a sweet bun. [16]

Branding and marketing

The company's logo features a mascot known as "Tita Julie" (Aunt Julie), which represents the founder. [14] [6]

In April 2021, to mark its 40th anniversary, the company released a commercial that went viral on social media. [17] The advertisement, created by the agency Gigil, featured the mascot stopping people from "Tita-shaming" (shaming middle-aged women) in a surrealist manner. [18] The campaign received mixed reactions online for its bizarre visual effects. [18]

In September 2021, the brand gained attention when netizens noted a resemblance between the Julie's mascot and the "Red Light, Green Light" doll from the Netflix series Squid Game . [19]

Incidents

In August 2024, a video circulated on social media purporting to show a rat running over bread on a shelf at a Julie's Bakeshop. [20] The company issued a formal denial, stating that the store interiors and lack of product signage in the video did not match their standard store design. [20] They also noted that they follow the Food Safety Act of 2013. [20]

In March 2025, actress and brand ambassador Kim Chiu was involved in a political controversy when tarpaulins featuring her face were covered up at some Julie's Bakeshop branches in Mindanao. [21] This occurred after Chiu made comments on the show It's Showtime that some viewers interpreted as a reference to the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte. [21] The bakeshop management sent a letter of support to Chiu, stating they did not condone the covering of her image and had taken steps to address the incident. [21]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Chong, Patricia (March 2, 2025). "Founding Mothers: Meet the Real Women Behind Food's Biggest Household Names". SunStar . SunStar Publishing Inc. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  2. ↑ "A mother's touch proves to be a winning advantage". Philippine Daily Inquirer . May 16, 2013. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  3. 1 2 "Julie's Bakeshop set to open 600th store Q3 of 2023". The Philippine Star . August 17, 2023. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  4. ↑ Vega, Jen F. (August 8, 2009). "Julie's legacy". The Philippine Star . Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  5. 1 2 3 "Julie's Bakeshop marks 30th anniversary". The Philippine Star . March 7, 2011. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  6. 1 2 3 Valeros, Maria Eleanor E. (March 19, 2011). "Still hot after 30 years". The Philippine Star . Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  7. ↑ Lato, Cris Evert B. (March 19, 2011). "Bakery chain exec finds his place under the sun". Philippine Daily Inquirer . Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  8. 1 2 "Julie's Bakeshop now a global brand in Indonesia". SunStar . August 21, 2013. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  9. 1 2 Cacho, Katlene O. (December 16, 2021). "Bakery-cum-snack shop for julie's Banilad branch". SunStar . Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  10. ↑ de Castro Jr., Isagani (April 14, 2024). "Balai Pandesal emerges as new challenger to Julie's Bakeshop, Pan de Manila". Rappler . Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "Baking a legacy: Julie's eyes further expansion for 45th anniversary". BusinessMirror . October 7, 2025. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  12. 1 2 3 Garcia-Kekert, Kristalle (August 12, 2009). "Julie's: A Truly Philippine Bakery". The Philippine Star . Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  13. 1 2 "Julie's Bakeshop inspires families through fresh bread". Manila Standard . December 21, 2024. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  14. 1 2 "Baking success: Julie's empowers Filipinos with franchise opportunities". Manila Bulletin . June 27, 2025. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  15. ↑ "Why owning a Julie's franchise is the perfect gift for generations". BusinessMirror . January 29, 2025. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  16. ↑ "Julie's Bakeshop's "Magandang Buhay sa Tinapay" celebrates 35". Philippine Daily Inquirer . March 3, 2016. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  17. ↑ "This bakeshop comes for tita-shamers in baffling viral commercial". GMA News Online . GMA Network. April 6, 2021. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  18. 1 2 Llemit, Kathleen A. (April 6, 2021). "#StopTitaShaming: Netizens give mixed reactions over Julie's Bakeshop viral ad". The Philippine Star . Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  19. ↑ Legaspi, John (September 23, 2021). "Julie's Bakeshop has the best reaction to its mascot's 'doppelgänger' in 'Squid Game'". Manila Bulletin . Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  20. 1 2 3 Malasig, Jeline (August 29, 2024). "Julie's Bakeshop denies viral clip of rat spotted in bread display". Interaksyon . Philstar Global Corp. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  21. 1 2 3 Malasig, Jeline (March 19, 2025). "'Accountability': Kim Chiu shares bakeshop's response amid posts of her face covered in tarps". Interaksyon . Philstar Global Corp. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
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