Mr. Sub

Mr.Sub

Type	Subsidiary
Industry	Fast food
Founded	Yorkville, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (1968)
Founders	Jack Levinson and Earl Linzon
Headquarters	Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Number of locations	222 (2015)[1]
Area served	Canada, India, UAE
Products	Subs Salad Soup
Revenue	C$11.3 million (2015)[1]
Parent	MTY Food Group[2]
Website	www.mrsub.ca

A Mr.Sub restaurant in Mississauga, Ontario operating inside a former Red Barn restaurant location.

Mr.Sub restaurant in Richmond Hill, Ontario.

Mr.Sub, originally called Mr.Submarine before the 1990s, is a Canadian chain of over 200 submarine sandwich shops.^[3] The first store was opened in 1968 in Toronto's Yorkville neighbourhood, which was then known for its "hippie" culture.^[3]

As of 2015, Mr.Sub has seven restaurants across India, and one in Dubai,^[4] with the rest being located in Canada.

History

Mr.Sub was founded in Toronto, Canada in 1968 by two friends, Jack Levinson, a gym teacher, and Earl Linzon, an accounting clerk,^[5] with $1500 start-up capital.^[3] The founders aimed to sell quality food; serve it fast; make it fresh; and above all, give customers value for their money.

The first Mr.Sub, restaurant, then called Mr.Submarine, opened at 130 Yorkville Avenue, on the ground floor of a converted Victorian row house. After a positive response, the two founders opened a second restaurant five months later.

In 1972, Mr.Submarine sold its first franchise, and officially became Mr.Sub in 1990.^[3]

After the mid 1990's, the chain went into decline, due to introduction of the Subway franchise. There was speculation in 2005 that Michael Bregman, the former owner of the Second Cup coffee chain, was contemplating a purchase of the chain. Other names floated as possible suitors have included Swiss Chalet parent Cara Operations and KFC operator Priszm Canadian Income Fund. The doughnut chain Country Style was briefly interested in Mr.Sub in 2005.^[6]

On August 18, 2011, MTY Food Group, which by then owned Country Style, announced that it would acquire Mr.Sub at the end of October 2011 for $23 million.^[7]

Mr.Sub was originally the only major franchise retailer of submarine sandwiches in Canada, until the arrival of American chains such as Subway. It now faces stiff competition from several quick service brands, surviving in small towns/countryside market, and regular take-out places that have have always served the sandwich.

The following slogans, in chronological order, have been used by Mr.Sub: "Lub my Sub"; "Fresh thinking is what we are"; "Taste a Canadian Tradition"; "It's not a sandwich it's a Sub"; "There's always something good going down at Mr.Sub"; and "Oh Canada, Oh Mr.Sub". The business' current slogan is "Yours Since 1968".^[8]

Products

Mr.Sub's main product is the submarine sandwich (or "sub"); a long roll, similar to a baguette, filled with meat, cheese, sauces, and vegetables. Other products include, wraps, soups, salads, baked goods, and panini grilled sandwiches.^[9] The Menu items vary in different parts of Canada, depending on local tastes. Some of Mr.Sub's signature products include:^[9]

Marketing

Mr.Sub tries to reach its consumers through a number of different marketing channels. Some of the marketing methods that Mr.Sub has adapted into its operations include: Strategic partnerships with the country's most visible sports franchises, national promotions, and ongoing in-restaurant campaigns.^[10]

Such marketing initiatives allow Mr.Sub to interact with their large and growing consumer base. Mr.Sub occasionally tries to change its campaigns and promotional activities. It made use of the very relaxed marketing approach and slogan known as "Oh Canada, Oh Mr.Sub!". Mr.Sub had launched a TV campaign that reminds consumers of the brand's Canadian identity.^[11] "We wanted to highlight the personality of our Canadian company," said Rita McParland, vice-president of marketing at Mr.Sub.^[11]

See also

• List of submarine sandwich restaurants

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mr. Sub.

• Mr. Sub homepage
• Government of Canada Source Concerning Meat Recall, 2013
• Meat Recall, 2008