16 August, 2002 - 11:48

This is what makes the news in Canadian newspapers...

Torstar News Service

"Tim Hortons debates using frozen doughnut dough"

Tim Hortons, the fast food chain that advertises its products as "always fresh," could start using frozen doughnut dough.

Instead of making the doughnuts from scratch each day, the company is testing "ready-to-bake" batter.

That means the doughnut mix will be pre-made and kept frozen in store freezers until it is ready for the oven. The icing and glaze will be added afterwards.

The company says having frozen batter will help fulfill customer cravings.

In other words, no more running to Tim's for that apple fritter to find only honey or maple dip doughnuts on the racks.

"It would allow us to supply all of the products on the shelves at all times of the day," said Patti Jameson, vice-president of corporate communications for the Oakville-based Tim Hortons.

Not all customers are convinced "ready-to-bake" is best, however.

"Who wants frozen product? I like them fresh," says Michelle Glim, carrying a Tim's coffee outside a store on Dundurn Street in Hamilton. "It will alter the taste for sure."

Matthew Bauer, an occasional doughnut eater, is skeptical about Tim's doughnuts being frozen first. But, says Bauer, as long as they taste the same, he can live with frozen fritters.

"I wouldn't dismiss it out of hand," he says.

Orlando Spagnuolo, another Timmy regular, says "I don't care how they make them" as long as the taste is unaffected.

Jameson says any "ready-to-bake" products will have the same taste as those made from scratch.

"We would never even consider a system that wouldn't supply the freshest product to our customers," she says, adding it is still a pilot project.

"We are still in test mode, using time and patience to make sure that we believe this is the best thing for our customers and then we would make the decision as to how we expand that test program."

In fact, Jameson says the company has been testing frozen batter for years, but has not rolled it out because the taste has not been top quality - until perhaps now.

"We are very delighted with how our tests are going. It bodes very well for the system," she says.

Jameson says the frozen batter project is now being tested with customers in stores in Ontario. She would not say where the pilot project is being carried out, citing "competitive reasons."

Customers at the stores where the "ready-to-bake" doughnuts are being made are not aware the batter was frozen first.

Jameson says Tim's has been using frozen batter for its bagels since they were introduced in 1995.

She also says frozen batter will not mean job losses in any of the Tim's stores because bakers will still be needed to make the doughnuts.