President of Tim Hortons - Canada & U.S., Restaurant Brands Intl
Search every verified Axel Schwan interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Axel Schwan, President of Tim Hortons for Canada and the U.S., spoke at the Empire Club of Canada on September 16, 2024, about the brand's recent performance and strategic priorities. He stated that Tim Hortons had reported 10 consecutive quarters of same-store sales growth and described the brand as "the most loved restaurant brand in Canada." Schwan noted that four or five years earlier, sales traffic, restaurant profitability, and brand love scores were declining, and that the company responded by focusing on food quality improvements such as fresh cracked eggs and better apple fritters. Schwan discussed several operational initiatives, including the use of technology to improve guest and team member experiences, such as a scan-and-pay feature in the app. He said the company had published restaurant-level profitability data to foster transparency with franchisees, adding that the relationship with franchisees is "very good now" after years of building trust. Schwan also outlined a priority to expand into lunch and dinner dayparts, where Tim Hortons holds a single-digit market share, through new products like loaded wraps and bowls. He attributed the brand's resilience to its long-standing value proposition, stating that as long as the company offers quality products at attractive prices, it tends not to be impacted by macro trends.
“On Friday we announced earnings for RBI and Tims was able to report that we had 10 consecutive quarters of same store sales growth, which is a nice result.”
“Four or five years ago, sales traffic, restaurant profitability, and brand love scores were not going in the right direction, and the media coverage was not the headlines you want to read about yourself.”
“We put together a strong team and embraced feedback as a gift, focusing first on food quality improvements like fresh cracked eggs and better apple fritters.”
“Tim Hortons is the most loved restaurant brand in Canada and the most Canadian brand of all brands in Canada, so Canadians are cheering for us and it's on us to deliver.”
“We decided to publish restaurant-level profitability because we will only be successful if our franchisees are successful, and this requires transparency and a long-term mindset.”
“Technology, when used correctly, improves both guest and team member experience; for example, our app's scan and pay feature speeds up drive-thru service and reduces POS workload.”
“Since 1964, Tim Hortons has always delivered very good value for money, and regardless of economic conditions, as long as we offer quality products at attractive prices, we tend not to be impacted by macro trends.”
“We have 70 plus percent market share in brewed coffee in Canada but single-digit market share in lunch and dinner; expanding into these dayparts is a big priority with new products like loaded wraps and bowls.”
“The relationship with franchisees is very good now; it took years to build trust by listening carefully, working hard together, and delivering consistent results.”
“At the director level, employees are invited to participate in a stock ownership plan where they invest half their bonus to buy shares and receive three to four times that in company shares, fostering a true ownership mindset.”
... CTV National News Speakers: Duncan Fulton, Chief Corporate Officer, Restaurant Brands International Axel Schwan, President ...
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