What if grocery shopping wasn’t just about buying food but about experiencing culture, innovation, and convenience? Imagine walking into a store with live seafood tanks, freshly made dim sum, and over 20,000 unique items tailored to your tastes. This is T&T Supermarket—a brand that has revolutionized the grocery industry in Canada and is now making waves in the United States. This Transformidy insight showcases the supermarket chain’s successes.
Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
- Balance Authenticity & Innovation: Stay true to your core while embracing new technologies and regional preferences.
- Omni-channel is Non-Negotiable: Seamlessly blend online and offline experiences to drive loyalty.
- Immersive CX is King: T&T Supermarket’s live seafood tanks, dim sum stations, and rewards program set it apart.
- Community Matters: Foster engagement through events and tailored offerings that resonate with diverse cultures.
Introduction
T&T Supermarket has become a household name in Canada, blending cultural authenticity with cutting-edge retail practices. From its origins in Vancouver in 1993 to becoming Canada’s largest Asian supermarket chain, it is a leader in customer experience (CX), product diversity, and community engagement. With its first U.S. store opening in Bellevue, Washington, in December 2024 and another new store launching on —February 13, 2025—T&T Supermarket continues its ambitious growth trajectory.
What is T&T Supermarket?
T&T Supermarket was founded in Vancouver in 1993 by Cindy Lee and her husband Jack Lee. The first T&T store opened in Metrotown, Burnaby, Canada followed by a second location in Richmond, Canada a month later. The name “T&T” comes from the initials of Cindy Lee’s daughters, Tina and Tiffany.
The company grew steadily over the years, expanding across Canada. In 2009, T&T Supermarket was acquired by Loblaw Companies Limited. As of 2025, T&T has 38 locations in Canada and recently opened its first U.S. store in Bellevue, Washington in 2024.
Regarding its current organizational structure:
- Tina Lee, daughter of founder Cindy Lee, is the current CEO, having succeeded her mother in 2014.
- Chancy Chen serves as the Head of Omni-channel Experience.
- Michael Chu is the Supply Chain Director.
T&T Supermarket employs close to 1,000 employees and is headquartered in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. Its store size ranges on average ~35,000 square feet to ~80,000 square feet.
Key Milestones and Facts
Here are some key milestones and facts for the popular supermarket chain since its opening in 1993:
1993: First T&T store opens in Metrotown, Burnaby, followed by a second location in Richmond a month later.
1999: Opened first store out of British Columbia in Calgary by Pacific Place Mall.
2002: Opened its first store in Ontario in Thornhill by The Promenade.
2009: Acquired by Loblaw Companies Limited for CDN$225 million.
2018: Opened its 70,000 sq. ft. flagship store in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada featuring a live seafood bar, Asian street food station, and self-checkouts. It is still the chain’s biggest store in size.
2020: Launched e-commerce platform, allowing online orders and delivery across all Canadian provinces.
2022: Opened its largest store in Saint-Laurent/Sainte Croix, Montreal, Quebec, marking T&T’s first entry into the province1.
2024: Opened first U.S. location in Bellevue, Washington, spanning 76,000 square feet.
2025 (Planned): Additional U.S. locations set to open in Lynnwood, Washington, and San Jose, California.
E-Commerce
Regarding e-commerce, T&T’s online platform supports over 200,000 users on average per day, with a peak of 5,000,000 concurrent page views. The company also launched a mobile app in spring 2021, offering over 10,000 products.
Mission and Customer Values
T&T’s mission is to enhance lives by offering fresh, high-quality Asian food while fostering cultural exploration. The brand prioritizes affordability and convenience which lets customers earn points for purchases to redeem gifts or discounts. Members enjoy exclusive deals via the supermarket’s mobile app and can share accounts with family members for faster point accumulation.
Leading The Charge In Customer Experience
T&T Supermarket has modernized what was once a fragmented market of small ethnic stores into sprawling supermarkets that offer both traditional products and modern conveniences. Competing against chains like H Mart and Marché Adonis, the supermarket chain stands out by offering a broader product range at competitive prices while delivering an immersive shopping experience.
For example:
- Affordable Pricing: Seafood is often CDN$1–$2 cheaper per kilogram compared to competitors.
- Private Label Products: Exclusive items like sauces and snacks cater to loyal customers while driving margin growth.
- Innovative Store Design: Features like live seafood tanks and dim sum counters create a sensory-rich environment unmatched by competitors.
Its stores are designed as cultural experiences where customers can explore Asian cuisine through fresh ingredients, ready-to-eat meals, and specialty items. Many customers use the spacious interior with ample seating as a community hub to meet family and friends. Online shoppers benefit from seamless eCommerce platforms that support the most Asian products in Canada while offering its 200,000+ daily users with features like multilingual interfaces, multi-payment options, and personalized recommendations/recipes.
The T&T Rewards Program, its loyalty program, further enhances CX by giving members access to exclusive discounts and promotions via the app. In-app coupons can provide up to 50% off select items, making it a win-win for both customer savings and loyalty retention.
Mobile App
T&T Supermarket’s mobile application offers several key features designed to enhance the customer shopping experience:
- Online shopping: Customers can browse and purchase more product than some competitors, including fresh produce, live seafood, and Asian beauty products.
- Multiple delivery options:
- Home delivery
- In-store pickup
- Mail delivery within Canada
- Rewards program integration:
- Earn and redeem points
- Check rewards history
- Access exclusive in-app coupons with up to 50% off select items
- Weekly specials and promotions
- Multiple language support: English, Traditional Chinese, and Simplified Chinese
- Payment options: WeChat Pay, Alipay, and other payment providers
- Product search and filtering
- Personalized product suggestions
- Video shopping feature: Watch food-related videos while browsing products
- Improved user interface: New layout for easier navigation and product discovery
The app aims to provide a seamless omni-channel experience, allowing customers to shop conveniently whether in-store or online.
New Store Launch: February 13, 2025
Today marks the grand opening of T&T’s latest store—a testament to its rapid expansion strategy. Located in a bustling urban area, this store spans over 40,000 square feet and features enhanced ready-to-eat sections alongside traditional grocery offerings. Early reports suggest high foot traffic as customers flock to experience T&T’s unique blend of authenticity and innovation.
Expansion into the U.S.
In December 2024, T&T opened its first U.S. store in Bellevue, Washington—a massive 76,000-square-foot flagship location that attracted significant attention. This move marks the beginning of T&T’s international journey as it plans additional locations in California and beyond. Early success indicates strong demand from both Asian-American families and food enthusiasts seeking authentic Asian products.
Challenges Ahead
As T&T Supermarket scales across North America, maintaining cultural authenticity while adapting to local markets will be critical. Competitors like Whole Foods dominate the premium grocery segment in the United States, while niche chains like H Mart, Seafood City, and 99 Ranch Market cater to the Asian communities. Balancing localization and product varieties with core values will be key to sustaining growth.
Additionally, while their loyalty program is robust, it could be enhanced by offering more flexible redemption options or partnerships with other brands to increase value for customers.
What Else Can They Work On?
- Sustainability: Incorporating eco-friendly practices such as reducing plastic packaging or sourcing sustainable seafood could appeal to environmentally conscious shoppers.
- Localization: Tailoring product offerings based on regional preferences in new markets.
- Technology Integration: Expanding AI-driven personalization for online shoppers.
- Community Engagement: Hosting cooking classes or cultural events could deepen customer relationships.
Inspiration for Other Brands
T&T Supermarket’s success offers valuable lessons for retailers:
Customer-Centric Design
T&T excels at creating experiences tailored to customer needs:
- In-Store Experience: T&T designs stores as cultural hubs, featuring live seafood tanks, fresh bakery counters, and Asian street food stations. This immersive environment appeals to both Asian and non-Asian customers looking for different food options are various times of the day.
- Digital Interface: Their e-commerce platform uses a custom UI/UX design optimized for user experience with multi-language support and payment options. The in-store digital kiosks feature a similar UI/UX design to improve consistency.
- Mobile App: Launched in spring 2021, the app offers over 10,000 products, enhancing convenience for on-the-go shoppers without sacrificing speed.
Cultural Relevance
T&T successfully balances authenticity with broad appeal:
- Product Range: Offering many unique Asian exclusives and other items, the supermarket chain caters to diverse tastes while maintaining its Asian focus.
- Expanding Demographics: CEO Tina Lee notes, “We’ve grown beyond just an Asian clientele,” appealing to a wider range of customers interested in diverse cuisines.
- Private Label Strategy: T&T-branded products are now available in other Loblaw stores, introducing Asian flavors to a broader market.
Omni-channel Excellence
T&T seamlessly integrates online and offline experiences:
- E-commerce Platform: Launched in 2020, it allows online orders and delivery across all Canadian provinces and territories.
- In-Store Technology: A robust mobile application helps customers search, order, and buy products in-store, while providing sales reps with tools to better serve customers.
- Flexible Fulfillment: Offering both delivery and buy online, pick up in-store options.
Additional Lessons for Retailers
- Strategic Expansion: T&T carefully selects new locations, considering long-term potential. As Tina Lee states, “The location is with you for decades”. Its new Toronto location is a testament to the supermarket chain finding a prime space that hasn’t been served well.
- Adapting to Local Markets: When expanding to new regions, T&T conducts detailed market research and adapts its offerings accordingly.
- Community Engagement: T&T stores often become community hubs, offering not just products but experiences that resonate with local cultures.
By focusing on these aspects, retailers can create unique, culturally relevant experiences that appeal to diverse customer bases while maintaining authenticity and innovation.
Transforming Retail Experiences
T&T Supermarket is more than just a grocery chain—it’s a cultural ambassador connecting communities through food. By prioritizing customer needs while staying true to its roots, T&T exemplifies how businesses can thrive by celebrating diversity.
How Transformidy Can Help?
At Transformidy we specialize in helping brands navigate the complex world of maximizing customer experience for improved engagement, satisfaction and business growth . Our team of experts can assist you in assessing, tailoring, and implementing the right customer experience strategy for your company.
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