Canada's largest Asian grocer T&T Supermarket opens first San Francisco store
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Customers lined up early Thursday for the grand opening of T&T Supermarket's first San Francisco location, the grocery chain's second store in California.
Among them was Albert Fang, who arrived at 4 a.m. to become the store's first customer.
"What are you getting right now?" he was asked.
"Baby bao and..." Fang replied.
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When asked whether it was worth arriving so early, he answered: "Yes definitely."
T&T Supermarket, which opened its first store in Canada in 1993, launched its first California location in San Jose in June. The chain is known for its prepared-food hot bar, live seafood and specialty products from across Asia.
The San Francisco location also features the company's first T&T Cafe in the United States, offering specialty beverages such as black sesame and ube lattes.
"The best-selling coffee is actually the black sesame latte. So you got to try the black sesame latte or the ube latte, and for all the health freaks here in San Francisco, you can get it made with protein milk," CEO Tina Lee said.
Lee said the company hopes the new store will help improve access to fresh food in neighborhoods affected by grocery store closures.
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"There have been more stores that have closed in the last five years than stores that have opened, and so we're so happy that we're one that is opening, filling a very large void for fresh, fresh fruits and vegetables and perishable food that you take home," Lee said.
The store occupies a former Best Buy location that had been vacant for nearly a decade. Lee said the company worked with the city through an expedited permitting process to get the store open.
T&T has hired about 300 employees for the location and is still looking to fill additional positions.
"I'm still 50 short. So if anybody is watching this and is looking for a job, we are still hiring 50," Lee said.
With locations now open in San Jose and San Francisco, the company said it is planning further Bay Area expansion, including future stores in Millbrae and Newark.
