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T&T Supermarket

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T&T Supermarket
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryRetail
Founded1993; 31 years ago (1993)
FounderCindy Lee
HeadquartersRichmond, British Columbia
Number of locations
33 stores[1]
Key people
Tina Lee (CEO)
ProductsGrocery
Websitetntsupermarket.com

T&T Supermarket is a Canada's Asian supermarket chain offering a wide range of fresh produce, meat, seafood, and authentic specialty items from various Asian cuisines. It also sells kitchenware and gifts, and has an extensive in-store kitchens and bakery selection.[2] T&T Supermarket was founded in Vancouver in 1993 by Cindy Lee and Jack Lee with Cindy operating the business as CEO.[3] Cindy's eldest daughter Tina Lee succeeded her mother in 2014 and continues to be the CEO today.[4] In 2009, a majority stake of T&T Supermarket was acquired by Loblaw Companies Limited.[5]

The stores range in size from 35,000 sq ft (3,300 m2) to 75,000 sq ft (7,000 m2). In addition to the many departments found in a regular supermarket, most T&T stores also have an in-house bakery, hot food bar, dim sum counter, sushi counter and HK style Chinese barbecue. T&T Supermarket currently has 33 stores in Canada. In 2020, they launched an online shopping platform and an app.[6] T&T Supermarket is set to open its first store in the United States, located in Bellevue, Washington. The new store, spanning 76,000 square feet, will be the largest Asian supermarket in the state and will serve as T&T Supermarket's flagship store in the United States.[7] And they have announced plans for their second U.S. location, set to open in Lynnwood, a suburb of Seattle, in summer 2025.[8]

"T&T" is a reference to Cindy Lee's eldest daughters, Tina and Tiffany,[9] as well as the initials of two founding investors.[10]

History

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Establishment

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Taiwanese-Canadian businesswoman Cindy Lee started the business with one store in 1993.[11]

Largest T&T store and development of e-commerce platform

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T&T at Fairview Mall in Toronto (2023)

In 2018, T&T opened a 74,000 sq. ft. flagship store in Richmond, British Columbia, which was the first to have a live seafood bar, an Asian street food station, and self-checkouts. Industry experts dubbed the store a "grocerant" because of its restaurant-style offering.[12][13]

In 2020, T&T launched its e-commerce platform, facilitating online order and delivery of Asian food products across most provinces in Canada.[14][15]

On May 18, 2023, T&T opened a 36,000 sq. ft. location at Fairview Mall in Toronto.[16][17]

Expansion into the U.S.

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In June 2023, T&T Supermarket announced that they would open their first store in the United States at the Marketplace at Factoria in Bellevue, Washington, a suburb of Seattle. The store, a former Walmart location, is 76,000 square feet (7,100 m2) and is scheduled to open in 2024.[18] This would mark the return of Loblaw Companies to the United States after a 28-year absence following its sale of National Supermarkets.[citation needed] A second American location, north of Seattle in Lynnwood, Washington, is planned to open in 2025.[19]

Locations

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British Columbia

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The front entry of the T&T Supermarket at Marine Gateway in Vancouver, British Columbia

Alberta

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  • Calgary (4) – Pacific Place Mall, Harvest Hills Crossing, Deerfoot Meadows and Sage Hill Plaza
  • Edmonton (3) – West Edmonton Mall, North Town Centre and South Edmonton

Ontario

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The entrance of T&T Supermarket Warden Store in Markham, Ontario
The front entrance of the T&T Supermarket College Store in Toronto, Ontario

Quebec

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The entrance to T&T Supermarket Store in Montreal, Québec

Former locations

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T&T had two stores in Toronto which have closed:

  • The Cherry Street location closed on January 30, 2020 with the redevelopment of the Port Lands after operating for 12 years.[25]
  • The Milliken Crossings location (Middlefield and Steeles) closed in 2015 and now houses another Asian retailer.[26]

Awards

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In 2018, the Retail Council of Canada awarded the Canadian Grand Prix Trailblazer Lifetime Achievement Award to founder Cindy Lee and CEO Tina Lee for having "demonstrated outstanding service and dedication to the Canadian retail and grocery industry."[27][28] Cindy Lee received the lifetime achievement award at the 2019 Chinese Canadian entrepreneur awards in recognition of her contributions to the Chinese Canadian business community.[29]

See also

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Notes

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References

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  1. ^ "T&T Supermarket Store Location". T&T Supermarket.
  2. ^ "T & T Supermarket – T&T Supermarket". T&T Supermarket. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
  3. ^ Liu, Scarlett. "Entrepreneur's book reveals story behind Asian supermarket chain T&T". Newmarket Today. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  4. ^ "T&T Supermarket CEO passes the torch". Canadian Grocer. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  5. ^ "Loblaw buying T&T Asian food chain". CBC News. Retrieved July 24, 2009.
  6. ^ "T&T Supermarket just launched a brand new app across Canada". Daily Hive. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  7. ^ Toneguzzi, Mario (June 8, 2023). "T&T Supermarkets Expanding into the US with 1st Store". Retail Insider. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  8. ^ "T&T Supermarket Inc. plans 2nd location in Washington State". Supermarket News. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  9. ^ Devlin, Megan (January 12, 2024). ""For the next generation": T&T Supermarkets CEO on store's viral origin story". Daily Hive. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  10. ^ Eade, Ron (October 2, 2009). "T&T arrives with a bang". The Ottawa Citizen. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved November 19, 2014.
  11. ^ "How the CEO of Canada's Largest Asian Supermarket Took the Lead on COVID". MONTECRISTO. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  12. ^ "T&T unveils flagship store in Richmond". Canadian Grocer. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  13. ^ "Canada's largest T&T Supermarket opens in Metro Vancouver". Straight. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  14. ^ "T&T launches e-grocery". Canadian Grocer. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  15. ^ "T&T Supermarket launches online ordering and home delivery across Canada". DailyHive. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  16. ^ "T&T Supermarket Brings 'Food Hall' Energy to CF Fairview Mall" (Press release). May 18, 2023. Archived from the original on May 25, 2023.
  17. ^ Shelley Carroll [@shelleycarroll] (May 18, 2023). "#DonValleyNorth is home to a brand new T&T Supermarket at Fairview Mall, a great destination for some amazing Asian eats! Thank you to the team at Cadillac Fairview, T&T, and this little adorable celebrity! 💚" (Tweet). Archived from the original on May 25, 2023 – via Twitter.
  18. ^ Thompson, Joey (June 8, 2023). "Asian supermarket chain T&T taps Bellevue for first US location". Puget Sound Business Journal. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  19. ^ Podsada, Janice (June 5, 2024). "New Asian grocery store T&T Supermarket to open in Lynnwood". The Everett Herald. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  20. ^ "T&T Supermarket set to expand to London, Ontario in 2024".
  21. ^ Doradea, Karen (May 4, 2023). "T&T Supermarket to open new Toronto location this month & will have new food offerings". Curiocity. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  22. ^ "T&T Supermarkets is bringing its iconic shopping experience and selection to downtown Toronto with a second location".
  23. ^ "T&T Asian Supermarket Has Chosen Its Montreal Location & It'll be the Biggest in Canada". January 21, 2022.
  24. ^ MacDonald, Thomas (December 15, 2022). "Montreal's First T&T Asian Grocery Store Is Now Open & It's Freakin Ginormous". MTL Blog. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  25. ^ Hatherly, Tara (December 20, 2019). "T&T Supermarket closing Cherry Street store in Toronto". Toronto.com. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
  26. ^ Miller, Adam. "Loblaws announces closure of T&T Supermarket in Scarborough". Global News. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
  27. ^ "T&T Supermarket's Cindy and Tina Lee to Receive Prestigious 2018 RCC Grand Prix Trailblazer Lifetime Achievement Award". Retail Insider. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  28. ^ "T&T Supermarkets' Cindy and Tina Lee receive RCC's 2018 Canadian Grand Prix Trailblazer Lifetime Achievement Award". Retail Council of Canada. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  29. ^ "2019 Awards Winners". ACCE. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
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