For the past twenty years, Canadians have been telling Tim Hortons that one item is missing from the company’s menu: “Hollandaise.”
This square donut speckled with raisins dates back to the creation of the brand in 1964. However, it was removed from the menu in the early 2000s. It made a brief reappearance in 2017 on the occasion of the 150e Canada’s birthday.
However, on January 10, the Dutch donut will be back. Tim Hortons President Axel Schwan predicts customers will be happy the company heard their requests.
The return of the donut comes as the restaurant chain prepares to pepper its menu with a number of new products and old favorites to mark its 60e birthday, May 17.
The company will pay homage to some of the original pastries on the menu when the first location opened in Hamilton, Ontario.
Long before the brand launched by Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Tim Horton became a symbol of Canada and established itself on ice rinks, in offices and on morning commutes, Tim offered a simpler menu with products like apple fritters, which are still sold today, and the Dutch donut.
Tim Hortons promises that four retro donuts will reappear on its menu in 2024, but is currently remaining very discreet about the other three.
A June poll the company conducted on social media asked customers if they preferred the return of the blueberry donut, chocolate éclair or cinnamon twist.
A more current recipe
But reviving a classic is no easy feat.
While Tim Hortons generally sticks to its recipes, sometimes things need to change.
The brand, for example, promised that its core menu would be free of artificial colors, flavors and preservatives by the end of 2021 — a commitment that didn’t exist when Tim was starting or growing to become a fast food giant present in 19 countries.
“We also take some opportunities for improvement, so the recipe is the same, but the ingredients may be different,” says the company’s vice president of categories and innovation, Carolina Berti.
Much of the work to arrive at the right “Hollandaise” recipe for 2024 was carried out in the company’s test kitchen.
It’s a massive space with shelves overflowing with sauces and industrial-grade appliances capable of making any food or drink item one could imagine on a Tim’s menu.
This is where a team of culinary experts, aided by reams of data from Tim Hortons market research and customer requests to revive a product, develop the right formula and determine how to quickly recreate it for customers. some 4,000 Canadian restaurants in the chain.
Other products on the menu
Among other products in preparation to mark the 60e Birthday treats include Bacon, Egg White and Spinach Omelette Bites, as well as Sweet Chili Chicken Wraps and Bowls.
Omelette Bites will arrive on January 8th. They were launched in 2019 with the aim of catering to customers who are looking for something lighter than breakfast sandwiches or who want to reduce their carb intake.
The new bowls and wraps arriving in February are part of Tim Hortons’ big offensive to capture the afternoon segment of the fast food market.
“We really see a big opportunity to grow the afternoon market share — everything dinner related, and in the afternoon, espresso drinks and cold drinks,” said Ms. .Schwan. By continuing to strengthen ourselves in the morning and taking advantage of these opportunities, we should be prepared for years to come. »
Still as part of its 60e anniversary, Tim Hortons plans to launch a hockey-centric ad, featuring archival footage of its founder, scenes with NHL star Sidney Crosby and clips of a new generation of kids on the ice.
Tim Hortons’ famous “Roll Up to Win” contest will also be dedicated to the anniversary, as will the boxes of Timbits.