Tim Hortons' Ethical Sourcing and Iconic Products Make Mark in Hyderabad Debut

Tim Hortons India CEO Tarun Jain reveals why the  coffee giant chose Hyderabad as its latest expansion destination. Jain emphasized the city's bustling metropolitan nature and its blend of old-world charm with modernity, making it an ideal choice for Tim Hortons' expansion into the Southern market. Jain also outlines Tim Hortons' strategy to compete with existing coffee chains, emphasizing the brand's premium Arabica coffee, ethical sourcing, and international appeal. As Tim Hortons marks its presence across 13 cities in India within a short span, Jain shares insights into the brand's journey so far and its commitment to sustainability and quality.

What inspired you to actually choose Hyderabad?

Hyderabad is a bustling metropolitan. And we have been to Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore already. As a part of a logical expansion to the South, Hyderabad is definitely a very lucrative city because it's got a very cosmic culture. It's got an old and new charm. It's an IT tech hub and has a decent amount of quality consumption and density as well. So I think it's a fantastic market to be in.

What's your strategy to compete with the existing coffee chains here?

We compete on our own merit. Just to tell you a bit about the brand. We are one of the oldest brands in the organized cafe category from the 1970s onwards. We started off with Canada and expanded into various parts of the world. We serve 100% premium Arabica coffee, which is sourced ethically. Our coffee in India comes from Chikkamagalur. So it's 100% premium Arabica. So it's the best coffee that you can get. We have got some iconic products like French Vanilla and Iced Capp, which are iconic Tim Hortons products and loved across the world, wherever they are. And those are the best coffee that you can get. So I think that's another USP we have. If you look at the whole portfolio of products, right from coffee to food, it's very international. So it brings the best of the international brand attributes to India.

The disposal is all done in the right way, which is with segregation and all that. We use LED lights, right from construction to execution. So I think we are very mindful of that, because that is also the international mandate that we follow, that the world has to move towards that. And that's a target that we like to work with.

How has the journey been for Tim Hortons so far in India?

It's been fantastic. I mean, in two and a half years, less than one and a half years, rather, to get into 13 cities and open 30 stores and to be in the best of retail states in the country. We already have three stores operational at the airport and a couple of more coming up.

So I think for any cafe brand which is coming to India, I think that's a great start. The response has been phenomenal, and there have been queues that have been opened in Mumbai and Delhi. We have a store at the Bangalore airport, the new T2. It's one of the most beautiful stores. Bangalore airport is very popular.

What's your market share right now?

That's a question too early to answer, because like I said, we've come one and a half years back. But it has exceeded expectations because when we look at what numbers we do compared to a competition, we do remarkably well. It tells us that customers love us. We have 30 stores, but are pretty new. We can't really gauge the market share at this point of view.

Wherever we go, we are popular. People come to us, we have a good business. And if you compare Apple to Apple within the same mall or within the same airport or the same high street, I think it's good, very good.

But what makes Tim Hortons better than a Starbucks or a Cafe Coffee Day?

Like I said, the product stands out. The fact that it's an international brand is one lever of differentiation. The other is the fresh food that we assemble. We have got very good quality donuts and Timbits and those iconic beverages that we have. Coffee is the best, which is 100% premium Arabica. I think those are the things that stand out. And when you consume the food, you will see what the differences are.