- Wendy’s Restaurants of Canada and REEF have launched a Neighborhood Kitchen in Toronto.
- This move is the first of several Neighborhood Kitchens to come in Canada. Ghost kitchens are an important component of Wendy’s non-traditional growth strategy and offer a new avenue for urban consumers to access Wendy’s.
- Wendy’s fans can order the brand’s made-to-order square hamburgers, using fresh, never frozen 100 per cent Canadian beef*, fries and signature Frosty® desserts for delivery via popular delivery providers.
Toronto, ON, Nov. 10, 2020 – Wendy’s Restaurants of Canada today announced the brand’s move into the growing ghost kitchen space through a partnership with REEF’s Neighborhood Kitchens in Toronto. This move is the first of several to come, as ghost kitchens are an important component of Wendy’s non-traditional growth strategy. As the brand explores new avenues and formats to reach customers, REEF’s proximity-based network of delivery-only Neighborhood Kitchens enables Wendy’s to test a new format in dense downtown areas and address the evolving needs of today’s urban Canadian consumers.
Wendy’s fans can have their favourites delivered wherever they are, simply by placing an order with a popular delivery provider. Menu items will include the brand’s made-to-order square hamburgers, using fresh, never frozen 100 per cent Canadian beef*, fries and the signature Frosty® dessert. Customers will also find favourites like Wendy’s chicken sandwiches topped with fresh Canadian greenhouse-grown lettuce.
“Building a brick and mortar restaurant in every neighbourhood across Toronto may not always be possible,” said Stephen Piacentini, Vice President, Global Restaurant Development and Recruiting at The Wendy’s Company. “By partnering with companies like REEF, we can bring Wendy’s into dense, urban areas without the overhead of operating a traditional restaurant space.”
With more than 100 Neighborhood Kitchens, representing several brands, across 20+ markets in North America, REEF empowers local restaurants and national brands to expand their delivery service operations. The company’s mission is to connect the world to your block by transforming its distributed real-estate network of more than 4,500 parking lots and garages into Neighborhood Hubs, leveraging the power of proximity to connect people and neighborhoods to locally curated goods, services, and experiences.
“By providing access to our distributed real estate network, REEF’s Neighborhood Kitchens enable restaurants to extend their delivery areas by providing proximity to their customers, while also reducing delivery times and giving them the ability to scale more quickly into new geographies,” said Carl Segal, REEF’s Chief Operating Officer. “We are thrilled to welcome Wendy’s Restaurants of Canada onto the REEF platform and look forward to bringing this beloved brand to more consumers in Toronto and across Canada.”
About Wendy's
Wendy's® was founded in 1969 by Dave Thomas in Columbus, Ohio and the brand expanded to Canada in 1975. Dave built his business on the premise, "Quality is our Recipe®," which remains the guidepost of the Wendy's system. Wendy's is best known for its made-to-order square hamburgers, using fresh, never frozen beef, freshly-prepared salads, and other signature items like chili, baked potatoes and the Frosty® dessert. The Wendy's Company is committed to doing the right thing and making a positive difference in the lives of others. This is most visible through the Company's support of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption® and its signature Wendy's Wonderful Kids® program, which seeks to find every child in the North American foster care system a loving, forever home. Today, Wendy's and its franchisees employ hundreds of thousands of people across more than 6,800 restaurants worldwide with a vision of becoming the world's most thriving and beloved restaurant brand. For details on franchising, connect with us at www.wendys.com/franchising.
Visit www.wendys.ca and www.squaredealblog.com for more information and connect with us on Twitter and Instagram using @wendyscanada, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/wendyscanada.
*Fresh beef available in the contiguous U.S., Alaska, and Canada.
About REEF Technology
REEF’s mission is to connect the world to your block. We transform underutilized urban spaces into neighborhood hubs that connect people to locally curated goods, services, and experiences. With an ecosystem of 4,500 locations and a team of 15,000 people, REEF is one of the largest operators of mobility, logistics hubs, and Neighborhood Kitchens in North America. Together we are leveraging the power of proximity to keep our communities moving forward in a sustainable and thoughtful way.
Wendy’s Media Contact
Heidi Schauer
heidi.schauer@wendys.com
Erin Manning
erin.manning@ketchum.com
REEF Media Contact
Giselle-Marie Roig
giselle@thebrandguild.com