Tim Hortons’ CCO Kevin Hydes sees a “huge demand” for the brand in the UK with drive thru locations the largest target area for growth in the coming years.
The Canadian coffee chain and QSR brand announced yesterday its plans to launch a new franchise model in the UK, expanding its current portfolio of 75 restaurants.
Drive-thru locations will be the “predominant channel of growth and opportunity” around the UK, Hydes tells MCA. “We’ve refined and developed that as a really strong operational model.”
Alongside this, the company is still engaged in opportunities to work in UK travel networks and High Street locations.
Geographically, Hydes says the brand “has no reason” to be particularly focused in one region, adding that the franchising push is a truly “nationwide opportunity.”
This is “inclusive of London”, he says, after the brand debuted in the capital last year with a site in Park Royal, an opening described as “one of its most successful globally in the past five years.”
“The opportunity for potential franchise partners coming into the business is huge, and we are providing a nationwide opportunity”, says Hydes.
“Wherever we’ve taken the Tim Hortons brand in the UK, we’ve had good success”, he adds.
The CCO says since the brand landed in the UK in 2017, he has been “overwhelmed” by local communities’ response to new openings.
The brand intends to continue at its current pace of 20 to 25 new sites per year across the UK, through corporate and franchise sites.
Hydes adds that he would expect to see franchise partners take on a “significant amount” of these openings in the years to come.
“It was always our intention. Franchising was always going to be a core part of the way in which we build the brand in the UK, as it is in other marketplaces”, he adds.
Tim Hortons currently operates with over 1,500 franchisees in Canada and is rapidly scaling businesses in China, India, U.A.E and Mexico.
Whilst building a 75-strong estate in the first five years of the UK brand launch, Tim Hortons has invested in a test and learn process to create a “refined operating model” that will support new franchise partners.
Through building brand awareness, so has grown an expectation of delivering a good value proposition, says Hydes.
“It is very important, given the circumstances that our customers are faced with, the cost-of-living crisis.
“I think that we stand out as a place which delivers high quality products at a great affordable price point.”
Hydes says this awareness has also grown in part due to its digital focus, a part of the business which will remain a “mainstay in the customer journey.”
He adds that self-order kiosks have been a big success for the brand, and have boosted customer engagement.
“I think it’s been really useful, particularly being a new brand. It allows customers the opportunity to come in and browse the menu in an unpressurised way and understand what Tim Hortons has to offer.”
