Second generation franchisee Lakhany brothers will introduce the iconic international brand to their home state of Texas
HOUSTON, TX / ACCESSWIRE / January 24, 2022 / International coffee and bakery franchise Tim Hortons is expanding its U.S. footprint with the announcement of a 30-unit agreement in Houston. Ten of those are expected to open in Houston in the next three years. Seasoned, multi-unit and second-generation franchisee brothers, Ali and Emad Lakhany, are spearheading the Houston expansion, which will add to their other franchise concepts through their company TH of Texas, LLC, which is owned by the manager of CSM Group.
The beloved coffee and bakery chain has a U.S. presence in several states, including New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Ohio; however, this multi-unit development deal marks Tim Hortons' first appearance in the Texas market. In the restaurant space, The Lakhany brothers operate 63 Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen restaurants, with 65 more in development, in Texas, Kansas and Missouri. Their franchising and food experience made TH of Texas the top pick for the franchisor Tim Hortons USA Inc. when the company was looking for someone to lead the Texas market.
The Lakhanys were familiar with USA's parent company Restaurant Brands International, Inc. (RBI) since it is also the parent company of Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Inc., the franchisor of Popeyes. Tim Hortons had been on the radar for a few years for the Lakhanys so after more discussion about franchising opportunities, as well as solid support from RBI over the last few years, they visited RBI headquarters in July 2021 to meet the team.
"We tried their products and fell in love," Ali Lakhany said. "They have fresh products at great price point for our customers, which is key for us. In addition, their food and beverage options cater to people of all ages with new and innovative products constantly coming down the pike. Bringing Texans affordable, fresh options that the whole family can enjoy, is exactly what we were looking for."
After meeting the Tim Hortons leadership team, Ali and Emad were ready to make the commitment.
"We were extremely comfortable moving forward. We felt the excitement just being at headquarters because everyone loves Tim Hortons!" Ali said. "We resolved to take this back to Texas and put our top performers into Tim Hortons. We visited the markets in Houston, did some site selections over the last couple of months and formalized our deal in December."
"We are thrilled to welcome the Lakhanys to the Tim Hortons family! We know they are just as passionate about expansion into Texas as we are, and they will be the perfect developer for this endeavor," said Tim Arpin, US Head of Franchising for Tim Hortons.
The Lakhany brothers, born and raised in Houston, have essentially grown up in franchising. After their parents emigrated to the U.S. from Pakistan in the 1960s, they eventually owned and operated several Popeyes locations. Although he trained in the family business, Ali didn't get any special treatment. Similar to his father Hashim Lakhany before him, Ali started out washing dishes and worked his way up through the ranks before assuming an ownership role.
"My father and my mother really worked hard on raising us the right way. Showing the true importance of family and faith. Faith and family come first; business always comes second. That's our motto," Ali said of himself, his brother Emad, and their sister Lina, a pharmacist.
All three are married with children of their own and are neighbors in Houston. When he's not busy building empires, Ali spends as much time as possible with his wife Hina and their three sons.
"We are so grateful to Tim Hortons, USA for this opportunity. We were born and raised in Houston, which is why we're starting off here," Lakhany said. "This is home for us. But more importantly, we know how diverse and how strong the Texas economy is, specifically Houston and Dallas/Fort Wort with the amount of people moving in. We feel that this is a great opportunity to penetrate these markets."
About Tim Hortons
Tim Hortons® is one of North America's largest restaurant chains operating in the quick service segment. Founded as a single location in Canada in 1964, Tim Hortons appeals to a broad range of guest tastes, with a menu that includes premium coffee, hot and cold specialty drinks (including lattes, cappuccinos, espresso, teas and our famous Iced Capp® Beverages), baked goods, hot breakfast sandwiches, breakfast snacking items, and other food products. Tim Hortons has more than 4,800 system wide restaurants located in Canada, the United States and around the world. More information about the company is available at www.timhortons.com
For more information on franchising opportunities in the U.S., visit franchising.timhortons.com/
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SOURCE: Tim Hortons