Canadian Retail Thread

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by esquire

Sometime in the 70s, McDonalds figured out what worked and they haven't really wavered from it. Tim Horton's, meanwhile, is just swerving all over the place now. The Beyond Meat burger was the classic example of that... I can't imagine they sold very many of those.

But McDonald's does try stuff. Pizza anyone? They go big on it, but are ok changing course if it doesn't work. They are eating TH's lunch with their coffee and related products now.

Beyond Meat (which McD's is now experimenting with) was a half-hearted attempt from TH destined to fail. They looked at A&W and said "we can do that". No, you fucking can't.

[Nathan]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Yes we are starting to see the impact of that buyout work it's way through the system IMO. Stores are dirty, staff is terrible. That's on the franchisees, but TH can manage that better. The menu is cost cutting gone insane, and it's total crap now.

McDonald's shows you can still do fast food properly, for all the shit they take. They know the market, and make quick reversals and menu changes when things don't work.

That and the recent labour scuffle and franchisee clashes have further contributed to the idea that it now a piece of an international conglomerate and no longer the local Canadian coffee shop. If I remember correctly, Tim's has plummeted in recent brand surveys too.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

But McDonald's does try stuff. Pizza anyone? They go big on it, but are ok changing course if it doesn't work.

Yes they've tried adding new stuff, but they have not really wavered when it comes to the core of their menu. If I go to Mc'D's, I still order the same Big Mac combo I ordered 25 years ago. By contrast, I'm not sure any of the stuff I used to get at Tim's 15 years ago is even on the menu anymore, except for coffee and bagels.

[rbt]

Originally Posted by Nathan

That and the recent labour scuffle and franchisee clashes have further contributed to the idea that it now a piece of an international conglomerate and no longer the local Canadian coffee shop. If I remember correctly, Tim's has plummeted in recent brand surveys too.

I'm not sure how Tim's survived as "local Canadian coffee shop" while owned by Wendy's. Kudo's to the Wendy's marketing team I guess; who in many locations managed to have both menu's/kitchens under the same roof with a single owner and set of staff.

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally Posted by Acajack

When I think of True Value I think of smaller sized stores. At least a lot smaller than your average contemporary Canadian Tire.

That's true. I think of the Canadian Tire from my youth which was a home hardware with automotive.

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally Posted by esquire

Yes they've tried adding new stuff, but they have not really wavered when it comes to the core of their menu. If I go to Mc'D's, I still order the same Big Mac combo I ordered 25 years ago. By contrast, I'm not sure any of the stuff I used to get at Tim's 15 years ago is even on the menu anymore, except for coffee and bagels.

They certainly have tried to improve and/or replace the core menu over the years. It just hasn't worked out. The new stuff that would replace the old stuff sold poorly.

[Nathan]

Originally Posted by rbt

I'm not sure how Tim's survived as "local Canadian coffee shop" while owned by Wendy's. Kudo's to the Wendy's marketing team I guess; who in many locations managed to have both menu's/kitchens under the same roof with a single owner and set of staff.

Hah! Very true. In the moment, I totally forgot about the Wendy's years. They definitely did a good job of keeping the brand strong.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by WhipperSnapper

They certainly have tried to improve and/or replace the core menu over the years. It just hasn't worked out. The new stuff that would replace the old stuff sold poorly.

They never got away from that core menu, though. Tim's by contrast has nearly abandoned donuts, and sandwiches and soups are a mess.

[SpongeG]

Catalyst Capital Group makes rival takeover offer for Hudson's Bay Co

Catalyst already holds a roughly 17.5 per cent stake in HBC
The Canadian Press · Posted: Nov 27, 2019

Catalyst Capital Group Inc. is making a rival takeover offer for Hudson's Bay Co.

The investment firm is offering $11 per share in cash, topping an offer of $10.30 made by a group of investors led by HBC executive chairman Richard Baker.

HBC shares were up $1.04, or 11.78 per cent, at $10.03 in early trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange on Wednesday.

Catalyst already holds a roughly 17.5 per cent stake in HBC and has said it plans to vote against the offer by the group led by Baker.

Gabriel de Alba, managing director and partner of Catalyst, says the firm's offer is independently financed, superior in both value and treatment of shareholders and can be completed in a timely manner.

"Catalyst is committed to taking the necessary steps to ensure that its superior offer is evaluated on its merits and that the board is able to liberate itself from the coercive influence of Richard Baker and act for us all," de Alba said in a statement.

"We are prepared to participate in an open, fair and competitive auction process."

...

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/hud...lyst-1.5374964

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by esquire

They never got away from that core menu, though. Tim's by contrast has nearly abandoned donuts, and sandwiches and soups are a mess.

do they still have salads? I tried one once, it was awful, they really screwed up a caesar salad lol.

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally Posted by esquire

They never got away from that core menu, though. Tim's by contrast has nearly abandoned donuts, and sandwiches and soups are a mess.

Like I said, they tried but, it didn't work out. The Arch Deluxe menu would have been expanded to replace the core menu if it sold well. No one is going to follow New Coke's route ... replace a venerable product that's losing market share without seeing if customers even like it.

Tims just never established a core menu once they decided to shift away from donut shop to coffee shop experimenting with every contemporary trend.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by esquire

They never got away from that core menu, though. Tim's by contrast has nearly abandoned donuts, and sandwiches and soups are a mess.

Nearly abandoned? They're still physically front and centre in all Tim's locations, just not so on the actual menu board (because it's not really required).

[esquire]

Originally Posted by JHikka

Nearly abandoned? They're still physically front and centre in all Tim's locations, just not so on the actual menu board (because it's not really required).

I don't know what the displays are like near you, but the ones where I am have basically surrendered the donut space to other baked goods like muffins, croissants, scones, bagels, cookies, etc. or even just empty shelf space to the point where there isn't much left when it comes to donuts.

I get the impression that they don't sell a lot of donuts anymore, at least nowhere near the kind of business they once did.

[niwell]

I think it probably depends by location - the ones near my work seem to sell a lot of donuts, but that's likely because people buy them for meetings and such. Timbits especially. That's literally the only reason I've had anything from Tim's over the past years.

Most of the new menu items they've come up with seem incredibly confused.

[WhipperSnapper]

They certainly aren't the highlight of the display anymore. Donuts are a small percentage of their total revenues. Chains like Coffee Time that didn't upgrade from a traditional Donut Shop got decimated. Tims moves, by comparison, were more successful.

[SpongeG]

has the Tim Hortons high end concept in Toronto been doing well?

[WhipperSnapper]

I never went but, I did have some of their Timbits. They were good. They still don't compete in value or quality with bake shops in Toronto.

[kwoldtimer]

Canadian baggage retailer Bentley announced this week that they'll be closing 88 of their 250+ stores as part of a plan to come out of creditor protection.

[casper]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

Canadian baggage retailer Bentley announced this week that they'll be closing 88 of their 250+ stores as part of a plan to come out of creditor protection.

This is a disaster for dead malls everywhere. Bentley was the retailer that had this magical ability to service in the most extreme retail environments.

[Taeolas]

Well, our main cinema chain is no longer Canadian (was it ever?)

Cineworld To Acquire Canada’s Cineplex In $2.1B Deal, Making Regal North America’s Largest Exhibition Circuit

In the Maritimes, or at least in NB, our cinemas have been languishing forgotten since Empire was bought out. (Moncton's Crystal Palace just got their renovations started when the buy out happened). We've been hoping/expecting to finally get some attention soon; but with this buyout happening, I suspect we'll be even more forgotten now.

CBC Article on the deal

While the chain is UK based, they own the US based Regal Cinemas, and apparently the first priority is to combine Regal and Cineplex.

Of note:

"Our immediate post-acquisition objectives will be to combine Cineplex with our U.S. business," Chairman Anthony Bloom said.

Guess this will be Good-bye Scene. Wonder how Cora Foods will think of that? Maybe they'll buy out Scene and use it as the points cards for their restaurants instead?