Tim Hortons Inc., the largest quick-service restaurant (QSR) chain in Canada, is foraying into the Indian market with its first outlet in Delhi-NCR, before expanding its store count to 250 over the next five years.
Tim Hortons competes with Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts, offering a combination of coffee and food. The first store is expected to open in June or July.
According to Navin Gurnaney, chief executive officer (CEO), Tim Hortons India, the company will enter into an exclusive master franchise agreement with AG Café, the joint venture between global fashion and lifestyle retail conglomerate Apparel Group and emerging market alternative investment manager Gateway Partners.
India is the brand’s fourth country in the Asia Pacific. Tim Hortons, operated by Restaurant Brands International (RBI) Inc., operates more than 5,100 stores around the world. RBI runs over 28,000 restaurants across more than 100 countries and owns QSR brands such as Burger King, Popeyes, and Firehouse Subs. After Delhi, it will have outlets in Punjab as well.
India is one of the world’s fastest growing markets for speciality coffee retail chains. The growth can be attributed to the changing lifestyles of the young population, rising disposable incomes, and an increasing appetite to explore global cuisines.
India is known for taking its beverages and food very seriously, said David Shear, president, RBI. Shear added that the delicious, premium-quality coffee and fresh food that guests around the world have grown to crave from Tim Hortons will be coming to India, marking this launch as a critical step in our international expansion plans.