Tim Hortons Middle East

ALWAYS FRESH, ALWAYS DELICIOUS

DELIVERING DELICIOUSNESS TO THE MIDDLE EAST

Tim Hortons is internationally recognised for its hearty coffee and classic Canadian cosiness.

As the iconic barista branches out, CEO Hesham Almekkawi tells us how Tim Hortons Middle East is establishing its presence amongst the Gulf Cooperation Council

Writer: Lucy Pilgrim | Project Manager: Liam Pye

For nearly 60 years, Tim Hortons has been serving millions of customers with warm drinks and delightful baked goods, amongst other tantalising bites to eat.

During this time, the food and beverage icon has become known for its premium quality ingredients and serving its customers with a smile, a simple strategy that has elevated the business to global levels.

Best-known for its rich, aromatic flavours, coffee lovers all over the world have enjoyed Tim Hortons classics

such as the Original Blend and the signature Iced Capp®, accompanied by a variety of inspired doughnuts including the ever-popular Timbits®.

“Our vision is to be the café of choice,” introduces CEO of Tim Hortons Middle East, Hesham Almekkawi.

“We may not have the largest number of outlets, nor exist on every corner, but we do have fresh food, quality coffee, and a cosy ambience that provides experiential moments.”

The perfect café atmosphere is guaranteed by the company’s use of superior quality products, unmatched customer service, and caring for the communities it provides for, through leadership, innovation, and strong partnerships.

“Our restaurant chain is known for its freshly brewed coffee and baked goods, aptly demonstrated by the tag line: “Always Fresh, Always Delicious”, which rightly reflects the brand policy,” Almekkawi adds.

International adoration for Tim Hortons Middle East further stems from its intricate attention to detail, with comfortable seating and optimum light levels across each

restaurant. Therefore, it is always prepared to give its customers the best possible café experience.

A MIDDLE EASTERN BLEND

In 2011, the renowned Canadian brand made its way to the Middle East, opening its first café and baked goods shop in Dubai. Ten years later, Tim Hortons lovers can now enjoy the famous premium coffee, confectionary, and made to order sandwiches at food locations throughout the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, and soon in Kuwait, Egypt, and India.

TIM HORTONS – TIMELINE OF EVENTS

• 1964 – Tim Horton, a Canadian hockey legend, opened the first store in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

• 1976 – The iconic Timbits® confection is introduced

• 1999 – Iced Capp® is launched, marking a huge success

• 2000 – 2,000th Tim Hortons location opens in downtown Toronto

• 2004 – The brand’s well-loved Double Double® beverage is added to the Canadian Oxford Dictionary

• 2011 – The first Tim Hortons café opens in the Middle East

• 2017 – Tim Hortons arrives in the UK

“WE ARE PLANNING ON OPENING MORE THAN 200 NEW BRANCHES IN KSA BY 2024, AS WE ARE CONFIDENT IN ITS VISION 2030 BLUEPRINT”

– HESHAM ALMEKKAWI, CEO, TIM HORTONS MIDDLE EAST

Due to an emerging reputation as a flourishing food and beverage market, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has created a prosperous atmosphere for entrepreneurs and like-minded businesspeople to continue to invest in the region.

“The GCC constituted an attractive environment for Tim Hortons to provide developed

infrastructure and a business incentive that helped the chain thrive across the country and worldwide,” Almekkawi recalls.

KSA and the UAE in particular have brought a major economic drive to the Middle East. In order to grasp this opportunity, Tim Hortons plans to expand its presence in both countries to 500 locations by 2025, taking

advantage of the region’s largest two economies and growth markets.

“We plan on opening more than 200 new branches in KSA by 2024, as we are confident in its Vision 2030 blueprint; thus, we are keen to benefit from the country’s growth prospects and the progressive strategies of its wise leadership,” Almekkawi details.

UAE’s most loved and trusted

GBC Bakery is a member of Ginny’s Restaurant & Confectionery Group, which has proudly been serving the UAE community since 1989. GBC is handcrafting and distributing the highest quality bread, sweet and savory pastries, delicious cakes and cupcakes to valued F&B partners and corporate customers for 25 years. We deliver over 2,000 loaves of bread and 680 cakes every day. That being said, we sell over 6 million products every year which has built an experience of over 100 years.

Email: ginny@ginnys.ae

Website: gbcdxb.ae

GBC Bakery recently participated in the 2023 Saudifood show.

Click here to watch our journey

THE COMMUNITY’S COFFEE

With this expansion, Tim Hortons Middle East wishes to spread the welcoming nature of the company across the local community, to facilitate connections and become an active part of each neighbourhood.

“Our expansion further solidifies the mission of offering customers comfort, refreshments, and a relaxing environment. By taking advantage of the brand’s popularity, our strategic development will ensure that Tim Hortons’ iconic coffee is accessible to those all over the GCC region,” he adds.

Being a part of each community is a major focus for Tim Hortons Middle East, as it is committed to bringing people together by empowering individuals of all diverse abilities and skills.

In correlation with this focus, and the emphasis on a welcoming,

collective community, Tim Hortons Middle East has partnered with the Al Jalila Foundation in the UAE, alongside the Sanad Organisation in KSA. With both these fantastic charities, the café enterprise contributes to reducing patients’ medical bills, having a beneficial financial impact on patients, whilst also aiding in humanitarian issues.

“This collaboration comes as part of our commitment to supporting charitable and humanitarian organisations in the UAE and KSA, fulfilling the common interest of all parties,” Almekkawi tells us.

On top of this, customers of Tim Hortons Middle East can round up their bills so that any extra money goes to charity, with 100 percent of the proceeds allocated to the Al Jalila Foundation and the Sanad Organisation. Therefore, each loyal customer can feel they are doing their

bit for the local community.

“The two charity partnerships aim to fortify the means of cooperation, which are in line with the directive and mission of Tim Hortons as a brand: to mobilise community services and support societies through volunteering and joint contributions conducted by a set of charitable initiatives and activities.”

Overall, Tim Hortons Middle East is committed to improving the quality of life for its customers as well as giving back to the communities in which it operates. This is reflected by the impressive contributions already made by the restaurant chain, raising over AED130,000 (£275,260) since the beginning of 2023.

THE KEY TO SUCCESS

With ambitious expansion plans on the horizon, trustworthy connections with suppliers are equally paramount

to Tim Hortons Middle East’s success.

By having great suppliers, the business can improve its service to its loyal customer base, as well as its productivity and elevated market presence.

“Our success is tied to our suppliers. They provide us with what we deliver to customers, so the quality of what we receive from them is more than key,” Almekkawi affirms.

As a leading café in the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA), the

“WE ARE PLANNING ON OPENING MORE THAN 200 NEW BRANCHES IN KSA BY 2024, AS WE ARE CONFIDENT IN ITS VISION 2030 BLUEPRINT”

– HESHAM ALMEKKAWI, CEO, TIM HORTONS MIDDLE EAST

company understands how important it is to react to the demands of the market and ensure long-term success.

As a result, Tim Hortons Middle East’s main focus last year was to localise and build relationships with reliable suppliers in each market so that it could adequately adapt to a range of customer tastes. This also enabled the company to eliminate global logistical challenges, to become more flexible and innovative with local suppliers.

Additionally, through a master franchise agreement, Tim Hortons Middle East is a proud partner of the Apparel Group, a leading food and beverage entity headquartered in Dubai.

TIM HORTONS MIDDLE EAST https://timhortonsgcc.com