Canada’s Justin Bieber is being credited for a boost of the bottom line at Tim Hortons.
Parent company Restaurant Brands International said Tuesday that sales increased 10.3 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2021 at Tim Hortons outlets open at least a year. This is compared to an 11 percent decline in the same quarter of 2020.
The rise is being attributed to TimBiebs, Bieber’s trio of limited-time TimBits flavours as well as a collection of branded merchandise.
“I’m a Belieber,” CEO José Cil said Tuesday in an analysts call. He said the partnership with the pop star “was one of the more successful traffic-driving initiatives in recent memory and outperformed our internal expectations.”
Cil said there was “unprecedented social engagement and increased appeal with younger guests” and promised “more from this exciting partnership in the year ahead.”
Timbiebs – Chocolate White Fudge, Sour Cream Chocolate Chip and Birthday Cake Waffle – were launched Nov. 29. “Doing a Tim Hortons collab has always been a dream of mine,” Bieber said, in a release at the time. “I grew up on Tim Hortons and it's always been something close to my heart.”
In 2019, the chain partnered with Shawn Mendes on limited edition cups, which were quickly snapped up.
Restaurant Brands International also owns Burger King and Popeyes. The latter launched a partnership last year with Megan Thee Stallion.