Tim Hortons to open coffee shop in Afghanistan

TORONTO (Reuters) – Tim Hortons, the Canadian coffee-shop
icon known for its addictive Timbits donuts, is heading into a
war zone to serve the country’s troops a taste of home.

The coffee-shop chain, Canada’s largest, announced on
Wednesday that a Tim Hortons store will open at the Kandahar
airfield in Afghanistan within the next few months.

Tim Hortons plans to convert a trailer normally used during
renovations of its coffee shops and ship it to the Canadian
military in Afghanistan. It will be staffed by the military
unit responsible for troop morale.

“We are extremely proud to be able to bring a little taste
of home to our troops stationed in Kandahar,” said Tim Hortons
Chief Executive Paul House.

Earlier this year, Canada assumed control of a NATO mission
in the southern Afghan province of Kandahar. It has around
2,300 troops in the country.

“I’m delighted to hear this news,” General Rick Hillier,
Chief of the Defense Staff, said in a statement.

“Opening a Tim Hortons to serve our troops in Afghanistan
strengthens an already superb relationship between two great
Canadian institutions.”

Tim Hortons, now owned by Wendy’s International Inc. has
plans for a public offering. It will seek to offer up to 29
million shares at between C$21 and C$23 per share. It plans to
list on both the New York and Toronto stock exchanges.

It has more than 2,600 locations in Canada and more than
290 in the United States.