Tracing The Roots Of Canada's Iconic Chain

TORONTO (Sunday, March 19, 2006) - American burger giant Wendy's International Inc. is expected to spin-off a 15 per cent stake in Tim Hortons this week, and curious observers are watching to see how many of the shares will land in Canadian hands.

The stock will be listed on both the New York Stock Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange, but the vast bulk of Tim Hortons' coffee sales still occur north of the border, where the chain has strong roots.

The company got its start in Hamilton in 1964, when National Hockey League defenceman Tim Horton opened his first coffee and doughnut shop.

Ron Joyce, who became franchisee of that first store, joined Horton as a full partner in 1967, when he was already operating three locations. The two opened 37 new restaurants together over the following seven years.

When Horton died in a car accident in 1974, Joyce took over as sole owner and continued the expansion.

Two years later, he introduced Timbits _ little balls of doughnut that look like the doughnut hole.

Subsequent years saw muffins, cakes, pies, soups and chilli added to the menu.

In 1986, Tim Hortons launched its Roll Up the Rim contest, which has continued for two decades. Customers roll up their coffee-cup rims to find out if they've won a prize, ranging from a free coffee to a car.

By 1987, Tim Hortons was opening the doors at its 300th store, in Calgary. In 1991, it opened its 500th store in Aylmer, Que.

In the early 1990s, Tim Hortons joined forces with Wendy's International Inc., the American burger giant founded by Dave Thomas is 1969. The two companies began developing combination restaurants under the same roof.

Wendy's bought Tim Hortons from Joyce in 1995, when the coffee chain had 1,180 Canadian locations and 17 in the United States.

In 1996 bagels were added to the menu, with sandwiches following in 1998.

In 2001, the company announced a joint venture with Irish bakery IAWS Group PLC. IAWS began making "par-baked" goods, which are fully baked in Tim Hortons outlets.

Tim Hortons now has about 2,597 outlets north of the border and 288 in the U.S.

Its Roll Up the Rim contest turned ugly this month, when three Montrealers began fighting over a prize-winning cup. Two elementary school girls -- one 10-year-old girl who picked the cup out of the garbage and a 12-year-old schoolmate who claims to have rolled up the rim for her -- and the person who says they bought the cup, each claimed rights to the prize SUV.

But, on the positive side, Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan cheered when they learned that Tim Hortons is opening an outlet in Kandahar.

Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Rick Hillier told Joyce that soldiers had been requesting the ubiquitous Canadian java.

According to the company, the average customer spends between $2.75 and $3 per visit.

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