Tim Hortons is launching vegan almond milk at all its Canadian stores. After reporting falling sales and profits in the most recent quarter, the Canadian chain is going back to “basics.”
“At Tim Hortons, our performance did not reflect the incredible power of our brand,” said Restaurant Brands International, Tim Hortons’ parent company, in a press release. “It is clear that we have a large opportunity to refocus on our founding values and what has made us famous with our guests over the years, which will be the basis for our plan in 2020.”
RBI plans to improve Tim Hortons’ performance by improving and modernizing its core categories. This includes improving its coffee and adding an almond milk option. Many Tim Hortons customers have been waiting for a vegan milk option for years, and the brand confirmed via Twitter that almond milk is coming soon.
“There is clearly a sizable gap between what this brand is capable of and the performance we’ve delivered,” said RBI CEO José Cil on a conference call with analysts. “These adjustments may seem basic, but that’s the point,” he added. “Being the absolute best at the basics that we’re already famous for.”
According to Global News, Tim Hortons plans to launch almond milk this spring.
Vegan At Tim Hortons
Tim Hortons has trialed several plant-based and vegan options at select stores. Beyond Meat burgers, sandwiches, and wraps were widely available for a limited time, but was pulled from the menu earlier this year.
Last year, Tim Hortons launched a 24-hour “innovation cafe” from the same building as its downtown Toronto headquarters. Tim Hortons 130 King is a modernized outlet for the brand to trial new menu items and technologies. It features a Brew Bar, that serves a wide variety of barista-style coffees and vegan milk. Soy, oat, and almond milk are all available.
Additionally, Tim Hortons 130 King has also trialed sustainability initiatives prior to being rolled out nationally. The cafe uses coffee cups made with 30 percent post-consumer recycled materials, along with paper straws and wooden stirrers. All takeout containers are fully recyclable and come with compostable utensils.
