Tops Markets to Add Tim Hortons Food Shops

Tops Markets LLC (Williamsville, N.Y.) has entered into an agreement with Tim Hortons Inc. (Oakville, Ont.) to add either a Tim Hortons full-service restaurant or a self-serve kiosk to 82 supermarkets in Western and Central New York and Northwestern Pennsylvania.

Plans include up to 20 full-service restaurants and 62 self-serve locations. This will bring to 488 the total restaurant count in the U.S. for the popular Canadian coffee and baked goods chain, with other locations planned for the remainder of 2008. It is expected that several of the self-serve kiosks will be converted over time to full-service locations.

“We are excited about the mutually exclusive partnership between Tops and Tim Hortons,” said Tops president and ceo Frank Curci. “We're two strong and growing brands in the markets we serve and we share a common goal of meeting the needs of our time-sensitive customers while providing them with quality products. Having Tim Hortons products in our stores will undoubtedly enhance our customers' total shopping experience.”

“What a tremendous milestone for Tim Hortons and Tops,” said David Clanachan, Tim Hortons’ chief operations officer, U.S. and international. “Tops is an ideal fit for our continued strategy to build our brand and convenience for customers through both standalone stores and non-standard full-serve and self-serve formats.”