Jose Magsaysay, Jr. is best known for being Mr. Potato Corner, having established the flavored fries franchise and shepherding its phenomenal growth from the onset: Potato Corner went from one small food cart in 1992 to 70 stores in 1994, up to 120 in 1997, and currently at 1,100 in the Philippines, with 200 stores overseas. Potato Corner earned a record PhP 1 billion in sales in 2015 and with its presence in 11 countries, is now considered an international brand.

Mr. Magsaysay’s success story started at the bottom of the proverbial ladder. His entry into the food industry began when, as a part-time working student, he was hired as a janitor at Wendy’s in 1983. He rose through the ranks, moving from management trainee to its Board of Directors within the space of a decade. He credits his success to the mentorship of Wendy’s Philippines president, former Finance Secretary Jose T. Pardo, who encouraged him to push through with his flavored fries food concept even as he was working at Wendy’s. Mr. Magsaysay also served as General Manager of Mister Donut in 1999, growing its stores from 250 to 800 by the time he left in 2001.

Given his entrepreneurial savvy, Mr. Magsaysay has been the recipient of numerous awards, namely: the Franchise Excellence Hall of Fame in 2003; the MVP Bossing Award in 2011; the Entrepreneur Award of the Year in 2016; and the 2019 AIM Triple A Distinguished Alumni achievement award.

Mr. Magsaysay earned his Master of Entrepreneurship degree from the Asian Institute of Management in 2001 and completed the Owner/President Management Program at the Harvard Business School in 2016. Mr. Magsaysay is a founding member of the Association of Filipino Franchisors, Inc., serves on the board of the Philippines Franchise Association, is a member of the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP), and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry.