Loblaw wants to break into the United States with T & T Supermarkets

Absent from the American market, Loblaw will make its first foray into the United States by the end of the year with T & T Supermarché, its Asian store brand, considered one of the most important in this niche in Canada.

Like many citizens, Loblaw has its eyes on our neighbors to the south. But this is not about the election of Donald Trump, but rather the opening of a T&T store in Seattle on December 5. The company has never opened grocery stores outside of Canada.

“We are ready. We’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time. It’s our dream,” says enthusiastic Tina Lee, CEO of T&T, met Thursday on the occasion of the colorful opening of the 35^e grocery store of the brand in Quartier DIX30, in Brossard. The recent results of the November 5 vote will not affect her American ambitions, she assures.

If T&T has decided to set foot on the other side of the border, it is because many Americans regularly come to Canada to do their shopping there, as evidenced by the large number of cars seen in the parking lot displaying plates registration of the United States, told a few weeks ago to The Press Richard Dufresne, Chief Financial Officer of Loblaw.

Many Americans also come to purchase products there on public holidays in the United States.

Thus, after Seattle, Portland and San Jose would also be in T&T’s crosshairs for 2025. But in a country where there is a great diversity of supermarket brands, can the most Asian of Canadian grocery stores really stand out from the game? “There are a lot of supermarkets in the United States,” admits M.^me Lee. But I think T&T is pretty unique. We’re going to come up with something different. »

In addition to a variety of fruits and vegetables, an imposing fishmonger, a diversity of rice and Asian sauces, not to mention a wide range of beauty masks, makeup and hair products, T & T also offers its customers a hot food counter as well as a noodle and sushi station, very popular with consumers who watch the clock attached to the wall indicating when the dishes will come out.

“In which supermarket will you find a clock like that? », asks the CEO, laughing.

A third store in Quebec?

While the first T&T opened in Richmond, British Columbia, in 1993, the Asian grocery store arrived in Quebec only two years ago, with the opening of a first store in the borough of Saint -Laurent, in Montreal. Previously, says M^me Lee, people would drive to Toronto or Ottawa to shop.

Tina Lee admits to having been tricked several times to land her grocery store in Quebec. “I was very scared by French,” confides the woman who preferred to do the interview in English. However, on the occasion of the opening ceremony in Brossard, she took the stage with her three children who all gave a speech in French.

And ultimately, the success of T&T in Saint-Laurent was instantaneous. In its first week, the store achieved the best opening sales of all Loblaw brands combined, confirms Richard Dufresne. The group notably manages Maxi, Provigo and No Frills.

And now T & T opened another store in Quebec on Thursday, in Quartier DIX30, in Brossard, where there is a large Asian community. There were also many customers lining up in the drizzle Thursday morning, impatiently waiting to be able to enter the 5,000 square meter grocery store. After Avril, Adonis and Walmart – where many consumers go to do their grocery shopping – this is the fourth supermarket to set up in the area. “The word “neighborhood” means that we want to be anchored in the community,” said Nicolas Désourdy, president of Carbonleo, the company that manages DIX30.

Present in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec, the chain has not ruled out the idea of ​​opening a third store in the greater Montreal area. Showing a mysterious smile, Tina Lee actually suggested that it was something “possible”.