Sunny Huang

Asked for an opinion on the extended price war in the coffee industry, and about the sustainability and future plans for Tims' product price hikes.

Answer

Yongchen Lu stated that the price war is driven by brands competing solely on coffee. Tims differentiates with its food offerings, which allows for price increases on unique items like bagels without a significant impact on sales. For coffee, the company will remain competitive through discounts and value offerings, while also promoting competitively priced combo meals.

Sunny Huang of Nordic Asia Investment Group asked for management's view on the extended price war in the coffee sector and questioned the sustainability of recent price hikes on certain Tims products.

Answer

CEO Yongchen Lu explained that the price war is primarily among brands competing solely on coffee. He asserted that Tims China's differentiated food offerings, like bagels, allow for successful price increases without significant sales impact. While drink prices will remain competitive through discounts, the company leverages its unique food items and value-driven combo meals to protect margins.