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Julie's Bakery. Photo from official Facebook page

Article (news)

Julie's Bakery

Raine Musñgi

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — As many food manufacturers respond to inflation by quietly shrinking product sizes, one of the Philippines&#x27; largest bakery chains says it has done the opposite -- making its bread bigger even as wheat, fuel and other production costs climbed.The strategy runs counter to the growing global phenomenon of &quot;shrinkflation,&quot; in which manufacturers reduce product sizes instead of imposing more visible price increases—a practice that has increasingly drawn scrutiny from consumers.&quot;We haven&#x27;t done that. In fact, right before the [Middle East] war started, we embarked on this project to make our breads even bigger,&quot; Julie&#x27;s Franchise Corporation Chief Operating Officer Angelo Jose &quot;Gio&quot; Gandionco said on ANC&#x27;s Business Outlook.Marking its 45th anniversary, Julie’s Franchise Corporation announced it has deliberately increased portions despite soaring costs for wheat, fuel, and logistics.&quot;We believe that when you increase the price, customers need to see the value,&quot; Gandionco told ANC. The Philippines is highly vulnerable to commodity shocks, importing nearly all of its milling wheat. This leaves local bakers acutely sensitive to geopolitical tensions and volatile shipping costs.<div><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kZiirEMJ5u0?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe> </div>Instead of immediately passing the burden to consumers, Julie&#x27;s—which operates over 600 stores nationwide—leverages its massive purchasing volume to secure stable ingredient prices and shield its customers, Gandionco said. Founded by matriarch &quot;Lola&quot; Julie Gandionco, the company has grown from a single neighborhood bakery into an empire employing 5,000 people. It has long anchored its brand on community service, partnering with local governments to provide rapid food relief during natural disasters like earthquakes and floods.But looking toward the next 45 years, the company is pivoting. The traditional vision of &quot;a Julie&#x27;s in every barangay (village)&quot; is evolving from physical storefronts to expanding supermarket shelves, convenience stores, and online delivery platforms, Gandionco said. The chain is also eyeing modernization. &quot;Traditionally, people think the bakery business is a very non-high-tech business... but abroad, the bakery industry is very advanced,&quot; Gandionco said, noting his ambition to pioneer automation in the local market.Growth continues to be fueled by franchising, particularly by returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) investing their savings. With an entry cost of around P2 million, several former migrants now operate up to eight stores.For Julie’s, the future lies in balancing high-tech scaling with its foundational community roots, ensuring local entrepreneurs can pass sustainable businesses to the next generation, Gandionco said.

The bakery chain announced it has deliberately increased portions despite soaring costs for wheat, fuel, and logistics.

The bakery chain announced it has deliberately increased portions despite soaring costs for wheat, fuel, and logistics.

Bakery giant supersizes bread to beat shrinkflation blues

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Bakery giant supersizes bread to beat shrinkflation blues

Raine Musñgi,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 26, 2026 01:40 PM PHT

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Julie's bakery

inflation

shrinkflation

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ANC

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