Canadian coffee chain Tim Hortons to open 150 outlets in Korea within 5 years

Rafael Odorizzi, APAC President of Restaurant Brands International (RBI) Group, speaks at a press conference for Tim Hortons' entering in Korea, Dec. 12. Yonhap

Canadian coffee brand Tim Hortons said Tuesday it will open 150 outlets in Korea within five years as it plans to open its first store in southern Seoul on Thursday.

Tim Hortons has decided to enter the Korean market, which has a vibrant coffee market where coffee consumptions per person is almost threefold the global average, the company said in a statement.

Korea will be the seventh Asian country to have a Tim Hortons shop following China, India, Pakistan, Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines, it said.

The Ontario-based coffee chain, founded in Canada in 1964, currently operates more than 5,700 stores in 17 countries around the world, including the United States and China. (Yonhap)