Cracking The Indian Code

TARUN JAIN, CEO of Tim Hortons India believes in creating an experience at cafes by blending global quality, local flavours and affordability

- Reema Bhaduri

TIM HORTONS, the Canadian coffee giant, entered the Indian market in August 2022 with its first store in Gurugram’s Cyber Hub. It is one of the largest coffee chains in the world, with a presence in 13 countries across the globe.

Reflecting on the chain’s success, Tarun Jain, CEO, Tim Hortons India, says, “It’s been a fantastic journey. We were one of the youngest brands in the cafe segment and I think people have taken it well, given that it’s a global cafe chain which has come to India.”

In just over a year and a half since opening its first store, Tim Hortons has rapidly expanded to 29 outlets across Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore and Punjab. The brand’s runaway success flies in the face of conventional wisdom that Indian consumers primarily crave local flavours and affordable offerings.

The Indian Route

“India is a natural market that every MNC seeks because if you look at the demographics, the economic growth and opportunity - India is pretty much top of the line right now. It’s a very culturally diverse and varied market, more than what we’ve seen in other parts of the world,” states Jain.

While their coffee is of international standard, Tim Hortons climbed its way up by Indianising its food menu through extensive R&D, dissecting consumer preferences to deliver an experience that would resonate with the local audience.