Pho24, one of Jollibee Food Corp.’s foreign acquisitions, has finally opened its first branch this year.

Jollibee acquired 60 percent ownership of Superfoods Group, which is behind the brands Highlands Coffee and Pho24. Their goal? To open a total of 100 Pho24 stores in the Philippines. 

Originating from Vietnam, its name comes from the 24 ingredients that go into the noodle soup that’s widely considered Vietnam’s national dish. The backbone of the dish is its broth made with beef shin bones simmered for eight hours. The goal is to cook food slowly and serve it fast.

The first local branch of Pho24 was launched last year but due to the pandemic, pho kits were offered to cope with the delivery demand. The meal kit contains two servings of the restaurant’s flagship beef fillet pho.

The first of three branches for 2021 opened earlier this week at the Jollibee Tower in Ortigas Center. The group behind the brand prides itself on the fact that Vietnamese and Chinese people dining at Pho24 describe it as “the ultimate seal of authenticity.”

Jollibee’s other foreign acquisitions include The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Tim Ho Wan, Burger King, and Panda Express.