News Releases | Corporate

Chain expands into new U.S. market

September 16, 2002 - Rochester, NY - The Tim Hortons chain of coffee and fresh baked goods restaurants has expanded into its newest U.S. market, opening four locations in the Rochester, New York area today.

"We've found that everyone we talk to in Rochester is so excited about Tim Hortons coming to town," said Paul House, President & COO, The TDL Group Ltd. (operators of Tim Hortons). "People know us from trips to Canada as well as from our 30 stores in the Buffalo market, where we were recently voted 'best coffee' by viewers of one of the local TV stations. The only complaint we've heard is 'why don't you open a store in my neighbourhood'!"

The four new Tim Hortons stores are located at:

Ridge & Lake roads in Rochester
Ridge Road & Goodman in Irondequoit;
Jefferson Road & Hylan in Henrietta;
and Lehigh Station Road & West Henrietta Road in Henrietta.

A fifth store is targeted to open in Gates in December, and the Tim Hortons at 20 East Main Street has been doing business in Batavia since December 2001. The stores are open 24 hours a day and offer fast drive thru and takeout service, as well as dining rooms to eat-in, with hot drinks served in china mugs and food served on china plates.

Tim Hortons stores focus on quality, freshness, value and great service. These core values have propelled the chain from one store in Hamilton, Ontario in 1964 to over 2,100 stores currently across Canada, and over 150 in the U.S. (located mainly in the Buffalo, NY; Columbus, Ohio; and Detroit, Michigan areas).

"Our stores are run by franchise operators who focus on becoming an integral part of their community," added House. "It is our store owners and their staff who really are the backbone of our chain's success."

In May, Tim Hortons also announced the opening of a coffee roasting plant in Henrietta, which supplies coffee to all U.S. Tim Hortons stores. This premium blend coffee, made from 100% Arabica beans, is available at a great value at all Tim Hortons stores. Customers can also purchase cans of coffee at Tim Hortons to make their favorite brew at home too.

In addition to coffee, tea, hot cappuccinos, iced cappuccino, soda and juices, Tim Hortons sells a delicious array of baked goods, including muffins, cookies, bagels, donuts, timbits (donut holes), danishes and croissants. Customers also come to Tim Hortons for a homestyle lunch of soup, sandwiches, or even chili.

Tim Hortons, which merged with Wendy's International, Inc. in 1995, is Canada's largest national chain, specializing in coffee and baked goods, and trades on the New York Stock Exchange (WEN).