Shake Shack to come to Canada in 2024 with first location set for Toronto

TORONTO –

Canadians with a hankering for Shake Shack’s juicy burgers and hand-spun milkshakes quickly will not need to cross the border to fulfill their cravings.

Toronto-based non-public funding companies Osmington Inc. and Harlo Entertainment Inc. introduced plans Wednesday to deliver the U.S. quick meals large to Canada.

Shake Shack’s Canadian debut will start with a flagship location in Toronto set to open in 2024, the businesses mentioned, with plans for 35 places throughout the nation by 2035.

The New York-based quick meals model that started off of a hotdog cart in Madison Square Park in 2001 and now has 440 places worldwide has been eyeing Canada for “quite some time,” mentioned the corporate’s chief world licensing officer, Michael Kark, in a press release.

He promised the Canadian places will characteristic a mixture of Shake Shack classics together with its burgers, hen sandwiches, crinkle-cut fries, frozen custard, beer and wine, together with “bespoke Canada-exclusive items.”

Kark described Osmington and Harlo as “exceptional” companions for the corporate’s growth.

Osmington was concerned with the Atlanta Thrashers’ relocation to Winnipeg and the retail redevelopment of Toronto’s Union Station, whereas Harlo is behind eating places equivalent to Mimi Chinese, Kasa Moto and Planta.

“Shake Shack has long been a brand that we admire,” mentioned Lawrence Zucker, chief government of Osmington, in a press release.

“Their emphasis on community building, enlightened hospitality and exceptional food quality aligns with our values and we are thrilled to be bringing them to Canada.”

Shake Shack’s long-awaited entrance into the Canadian market comes amid a wave of U.S. quick meals manufacturers increasing to Canada during the last decade.

Five Guys, Carl’s Jr., Wahlburgers and Blaze Pizza all flocked to Canada earlier than Chick-fil-A and Dave’s Hot Chicken headed north lately.

The latest entrants leaned closely on hen, a class that has elevated in recognition as some shoppers turn into extra health-conscious and shift their diets away from pink meat.

Chicken sandwiches have been included in 7.3 per cent of all restaurant orders in Canada in 2020, information launched by analysis agency NPD Group discovered. That quantities to 386.4 million servings.

Some 17.6 million BBQ hen sandwiches have been ordered in Canada in 2020, up 40 per cent from the 12 months earlier than, whereas 228 million breaded hen sandwiches have been devoured up, down three per cent from the 12 months earlier than.

However, burgers, the star of Shake Shack’s menu, nonetheless reign supreme. They have been included in 9.6 per cent of all Canadian restaurant orders in 2020, which translated to 739.3 million servings of burgers.

Canadian corporations have coped with the onslaught of American counterparts by increasing their very own fast-food choices. Several added hen sandwiches and all-day breakfast menus, whereas Tim Hortons partnered with pop celebrity Justin Bieber to launch three new Timbit flavours — referred to as Timbiebs — and experimented with flatbread pizza.

But drawing in prospects has turn into much more difficult after inflation reached a close to 40-year excessive final 12 months, making the price of eating out tougher for shoppers to abdomen.

Statistics Canada’s newest information reveals the price of meals bought from takeout eating places elevated 8.6 per cent since final February.

Visits to quick meals joints in Canada have been up 9 per cent in 2022, simply shy of the 11 per cent acquire they noticed in 2021, NPD Group analysis reveals.

This report by The Canadian Press was first printed March 22, 2023.