Restaurant Brands International has announced plans to expand its Tim Hortons, Burger King and Popeye brands to a collective 40,000 stores globally | Photo via Flickr

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Tim Hortons has announced its entrance into the Thai market has part of a broader global growth strategy. The Canadian-based coffee chain intends to offer a localised food menu with ‘prominent’ Canadian branding alongside a core offering of hot and cold beverages but has yet to disclose a timetable for the store rollout. 

“Thailand has a thriving coffee market and our partner has a deep understanding of the Thai market, which we believe will position us well for success in the country,” said Tim Hortons President Alex Macedo.

“We are proud to partner with Tim Hortons to launch and develop this great brand in Thailand. We look forward to opening the doors of our first Tim Hortons restaurant and sharing Canada’s favorite coffee with our guests,” said Nick Wattanavekin, CEO of WeEat Company

In May 2019 Tim Hortons' parent company, Restaurant Brands, announced ambitious plans to expand the coffee chain as well its Burger King and Popeyes brands to a collective 40,000 stores globally. The Canadian based holding company currently operates some 26,000 restaurants worldwide.

Tim Horton’s Thai debut comes soon after Starbucks announced it would license it operations in the southeast Asian nation to Coffee Caterers, a joint venture between Hong Kong-based Maxim’s Caterers Limited and F&N Retail Connection Co. Ltd.  Starbucks began operations in Thailand in 1998 and currently has 372 stores in the market.

In February 2019 Tim Hortons opened its first store in China at Beijing’s historic People’s Square, the first of 1,500 planned in the opportune yet highly competitive east Asian coffee shop market, where leading brands Starbucks and domestic chain Luckin Coffee chain are currently vying for supremacy.

Tim Hortons currently operates around 4,800 stores across Canada, the US, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
 

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