Groundbreaking for Canadian chain T&T's new U.S. store gets epic Air Force flyover
T&T Supermarket, Canada’s largest Asian grocery chain, is continuing its expansion into the United States with several new locations planned to open in the next year.
And at a recent groundbreaking event for one of its new store sites, T&T’s owners got a very American welcome in the form of an epic Air Force flyover.
Residents of Irvine, CA, can soon shop at T&T Supermarket’s first Southern California store, slated to open in the Great Park community in winter 2026.
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Its opening follows in the footsteps of the supermarket chain’s first U.S. store in Bellevue, WA.
“Ever since we announced our U.S. entry, we have been getting customer requests all across the United States,” said Tina Lee, CEO of T&T Supermarkets, in a release. “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.”
Lee posted a video on social media highlighting the groundbreaking ceremony at The Canopy at Great Park, where T&T’s new 34,000-square-foot store will be located.
City of Irvine
City of Irvine
A giant United States flag can be seen billowing over two huge excavators while “Back in Black” by AC/DC plays in the clip.
“How American is this?” Lee asks her followers as she shows them around the site.
The ceremony, which also featured The Canopy at Great Park’s developer Almquist Group and local politicians, was highlighted by a choreographed B-52 bomber flyover.
“City of Irvine has been so welcoming, I hope that the residents love what we do,” Lee added along with her sister Tiffany. It’s going to be so, so great.”
City of Irvine
City of Irvine
T&T announced that this location will feature a sushi counter, a hot food bar, made-to-order street food, an in-store kitchen, and a bakery.
This new storefront will bring more than 200 T&T Private Label products to Southern California, including juicy pork soup dumplings (Xiao Long Bao), Korean kalbi marinade, and green onion pancakes. It will also sell a huge selection of wines and spirits and specialize in Korean soju and Japanese sake.
Courtesy of T&T Supermarket
T&T opened its first stores in Richmond and Burnaby in 1993. The company’s name is based on the initials of the two founders’ daughters, Tine and Tiffany, as well as two of its initial investors: the Taiwanese company Tung-I and the US-based Tawa. In 2009, T&T was acquired by Loblaw Companies Ltd.