Tims China: coffee, convenience and e-commerce

Tims China, the operator of Canadian coffee chain Tim Hortons in China, says consumers are becoming increasingly receptive to convenience, with delivery, ready-to-drink retail partnerships and smaller format stores enabling the coffee chain to grow its reach. World Coffee Portal speaks to Yongchen Lu, CEO of Tims China, about the dynamic Chinese market, expansion during the pandemic and the importance of having diverse sales channels

Since opening its first store in Shanghai in 2019, Tims China has grown to more than 500 stores, employing nearly 5,000 staff across the country. 

The company, which completed its merger with special purpose acquisition company Silver Crest and began trading on New York’s Nasdaq stock exchange in September 2022, has recently commenced retail partnerships with Chinese multimedia conglomerate Tencent and supermarket chain EasyJoy to grow its reach across China.