T&T Supermarket to Open 1st SoCal Store
T&T Supermarket, Canada’s largest Asian grocery retailer, has revealed that it will open its first Southern California store in the Great Park development within the city of Irvine, in winter 2026. The chain’s first U.S. store opened in Bellevue, Wash., last December.
Located at The Canopy at Great Park, the new 34,000-square-foot Irvine store will be close to the future 133 Freeway interchange and the Great Park Sports Complex, which receives more than 8 million visitors annually. The store will also create 180 jobs for local community members.
“Ever since we announced our U.S. entry, we have been getting customer requests all across the United States,” noted T&T Supermarket CEO Tina Lee. “It should be no surprise to anyone that Irvine takes a top spot on the wish list, and the first store we are announcing in Southern California. I know T&T may not be well-known in Irvine, but we are excited to surprise our shoppers with a unique shopping experience. We have bountiful and fresh produce, authentic Asian flavors and trendy products from Asia. We’re especially proud of our in-store bakery and kitchen – for the 8 million annual visitors to the sports park nearby, T&T would be a great place to grab a meal. We hope to add to the community and offer a place for families to connect through food, discover traditional ingredients and explore the latest culinary trends.”
[RELATED: T&T Supermarket Storms Into Downtown Toronto]
“The Great Park community has long awaited a retail and dining hub that not only serves their needs, but also enhances their everyday lifestyle,” added Dan Almquist, CEO of Almquist, a San Juan Capistrano, Calif.-based real estate development company. “With The Canopy at Great Park, we are delivering a fresh take on the neighborhood center, one that seamlessly blends convenience with a dynamic gathering place. As the Great Park continues to evolve, this location will truly become a one-of-a-kind draw for the community. We’re especially excited to welcome T&T Supermarket as a flagship retailer and exceptional grocery destination for the community, bringing an internationally recognized brand to Irvine and reinforcing our commitment to best-in- class offerings.”
T&T’s Irvine location will offer the following features:
- The Kitchen, a self-serve hot-food bar featuring authentic Asian dishes, including Peking duck, crispy Papa Chicken, a barbecue station and a sushi counter.
- Made-to-order street foods like freshly made Chinese crepes and Taiwanese-style rice rolls.
- More than 150 varieties of freshly baked bread and 50-plus desserts and pastries, including viral treats like Napoleon Portuguese egg tarts, mango pomelo Swiss rolls and lava mochi puffs.
- An extensive selection of wines and spirits, with a special focus on Korean soju and Japanese sake.
- More than 200 T&T private label products, including such customer favorites as juicy pork soup dumplings (xiao long bao), Korean kalbi marinade, green onion pancakes and seaweed snacks.
In advance of the Irvine store opening, California residents can start shopping online through the T&T app and website. The available selection is currently limited to dried goods like snacks and Asian beauty products. New customers can get $10 off their first order of $59 or more and join the T&T Rewards Program to earn points for free shipping and exclusive online discounts.
Additional T&T stores in the United States are planned for Lynnwood, Wash.; San Jose, Calif.; and San Francisco. Meanwhile, in its home country, the grocer recently opened its second store in the city of Mississauga, Ontario.
Based in Richmond, British Columbia, T&T Supermarkets operates more than 38 stores in the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec, as well as in Washington state. The Loblaw Cos.-owned company is No. 10 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2024 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.
