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Potato Corner Made French Fries Fabulous
By Kelli Luu | 24 Sep, 2025

Four friends turned flavored fries from the Philippines into an international franchise serving millions around the world.

Potato Corner has turned regular french fries into an international sensation, upgrading them with bold flavors like sour cream and onion, barbecue, and garlic parmesan. You may have walked past a Potato Corner at your local mall, but what many people don’t know is that these flavorful fries first started in the Philippines. 

In 1992 four friends, Jose Magsaysay Jr., Jorge Wieneke, Dan Bermejo, and Ricky Montelibano, decided to take ordinary fries and make them into something extraordinary. Ricky is Jose’s brother-in-law and although he had already been working for Wendy’s for nine years, he decided to leave his job to work with Jose after obtaining knowledge from a friend who made flavored popcorn. They thought, why not flavored fries? Jose and Ricky brought in Jorge and Dan and together they formed the very first Potato Corner in Mandaluyong.  

It was a small aluminum food cart with inadequate equipment located in the SM Megamall. Their opening day was a huge success leading people to start lining up every day to get a taste of Potato Corner’s crispy fries. 

Each of the four founders brought something special to their specific roles in the business. Jorge managed marketing and branding. Dan set up structure and discipline. Ricky acted as the silent partner, handling supplies and making sure their flavorings were stellar and Jose was the operations king who drove Potato Corner to its triumph. 

It didn’t take long for the franchise to begin expansion. One cart in the SM Megamall soon spread to malls across the Philippines and by the 2000s, Potato Corner was popping up in malls all over the world. 

There are currently over 2,000 Potato Corner stops in 16 different countries, including around 19 locations in the United States. The french fry chain was named Best Franchisee of the Year for three consecutive years by the Philippine Franchise Association, took home the Franchise Excellence Hall of Fame Award in 2003 and the Global Franchise Award in 2017. 

Potato Corner has proved that they are the “World’s Best Flavored Fries” and that the simplest ideas can become something extraordinary. With a powerful vision, teamwork, and a pinch of flavor, these four friends have helped satisfy the world’s french fry cravings.