Tim Hortons sold over 100,000 cups of coffee at its first two Seoul sites in the last month | Photo credit: Tim Hortons

Tim Hortons will add two new outlets in Seoul this month amid strong consumer demand for the brand across the South Korean capital. 
 

The Canadian coffee chain entered South Korea in December 2023 with two stores in Seoul’s Sinnonhyeon and Seolleung districts. Tim Hortons sold over 100,000 cups of coffee and 300,000 donuts at the sites over the last month – marking a stronger performance than comparable sites in China, Thailand, the Philippines and Singapore, according to a spokesperson.  

Tim Hortons will open its third and fourth sites at Sungnyemun Grand Central and Seoul National University Station on 30 and 31 January respectively. The brand is seeking to open 150 outlets in South Korea within five years.    

With more than 31,100 stores, South Korea is the second largest branded coffee shop market by outlets in east Asia, behind China which has nearly 50,000. 

Alongside Tim Hortons, Germany’s The Barn, France’s Terres De Café and China’s Cotti Coffee also opened their first stores in South Korea last year.  

World Coffee Portal research forecasts the total South Korean branded coffee shop market will surpass 41,700 outlets by the end of 2028.