One Canadian chain is capitalizing on the growing appetite for green onion pancakes and red bean buns.
What happened: T&T Supermarket, Canada’s largest Asian specialty grocery store, announced plans to open a location in San Jose, California, next year. This will be its third U.S. location following two planned stores in the Seattle, Washington, region.
- In addition to the U.S. push, T&T has announced new locations in Toronto, Ottawa, London, Ontario; Brossard, Québec; and Burnaby, B.C., coming either this year or next.
Catch-up: T&T began in Burnaby in 1993 and gained a cult following before Loblaw bought it in 2009 for $225 million. The chain now has 33 stores in B.C., Alberta, Ontario, and, most recently, Québec, selling a wide array of packaged and prepared Asian foodstuffs.
- T&T also sells health, beauty, and home goods, and has its own private-label brand.
Why it matters: Record levels of immigration and a new desire for adventurous eating have changed the tastes of Canadian shoppers, driving the recent growth of T&T as well as the emergence of rival chains and independent stores.
By the numbers: Per 2023 research by Conagra Brands, over 55% of Canadians want bolder flavours for home cooking, with Asian-themed sauces the category leader for new sauces.—QH