Tim Hortons closed the doors of its U.S. headquarters earlier this week as it shifts responsibilities ahead of a global expansion.
Spokesman Patrick McGrade confirmed in an email that the coffee and doughnut chain made a strategic decision to shutter the offices in Columbus, Ohio, but that the U.S. remains a “top priority growth market.”
He said Tim Hortons, which is run by parent company Restaurant Brands International, will focus on a planned rollout in the U.S. from its longtime headquarters in Oakville, Ont.
Tim Hortons has been undergoing extensive changes since being taken over by 3G Capital, a Brazilian investment firm which merged the operations with Burger King and now owns roughly 70% of the combined company.
After the deal was finalized, 3G Capital began cutting jobs across Tim Hortons operations, laying off about 350 employees, which represented about 15% of its 2,300 staff at headquarters and regional offices.
Since then, the company has made smaller job reductions throughout its operations, though representatives have attributed it to the normal course of business.
