Canadian Asian-Themed Supermarket Chain to Open First U.S. Location

T&T Supermarkets, a Canadian grocery chain specializing in Asian products, will open its first U.S. store in the Seattle suburb of Bellevue, Wash. in summer 2024. Located in the Marketplace at Factoria, the 76,000-square-foot supermarket will be the largest Asian supermarket in the state and a flagship store for T&T, which is owned by Loblaw Companies Ltd.

The location will feature a sushi counter, hot food bar, noodle station and in-store kitchen and bakery for freshly prepared delicacies like steam buns and pork belly bao, as well as Asian pastries and cakes. The store also will feature more than 300 T&T private label products, including customer favorites like green onion pancake, Korean kalbi marinade, juicy pork dumplings and seaweed snacks.

“We know the love for T&T transcends borders,” said Tina Lee, CEO at T&T Supermarkets in a statement. “It’s not unusual to see U.S. license plates in the parking lots of our British Columbia stores, with hundreds of customers regularly making the drive for our food. After 30 successful years in Canada, we couldn’t be more excited to bring our unique offering closer to home for customers in the United States.”

Additionally, T&T will open a regional office in the Los Angeles area and is in the process of hiring for office positions such as buyers and category managers.

“T&T’s anchor tenancy at Marketplace at Factoria begins an exciting chapter for the property, which includes new residential, retail, and dining experiences,” said Carmen Decker, President of Kimco Realty’s Western Region in a statement. “We search the globe for best-in-class retailers to elevate the shopping experience within our centers and are excited to welcome such an iconic Canadian brand to our retail collection.”