• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Tim Hortons to open coffee shop in Afghanistan

Posted on: Wednesday, 8 March 2006, 18:27 CST

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.

Source: REUTERS

More News in this Category