Almost six months after rolling out its smoothie line in the U.S. market, Tim Hortons is bringing the menu item home. The Oakville, Ontario-based company will begin selling its pre-blended, mixed berry and banana-strawberry fruit smoothies next week, according to The Canadian Press.
Dave McKay, Tim Hortons’ marketing director for beverages, said the launch is based on a growing demand for healthier snacks.
The Canadian market is brimming with smoothie opportunities, including Booster Juice, Cultures and Starbucks. Also, Jamba Juice recently announced its plans to enter the market north of the border.
The smoothie market is hot in Canada, growing 8 percent last year. But there is still plenty of room to grow, as relative consumption is small. Tim Hortons has been testing its smoothie line in five markets for a year. It launched the item in the U.S. in October.
The chain will sell its 10-ounce smoothie for $1.99. It is 130 calories, zero grams of fat and a full serving of fruit. Customers can choose to add yogurt for 70 cents more.
