Shake Shack’s juicy burgers and hand-spun milkshakes soon won’t have to cross the border to satisfy their cravings.Toronto-based private investment firms Osmington Inc.
and Harlo Entertainment Inc. announced plans Wednesday to bring the U.S. fast food giant to Canada.Shake Shack’s Canadian debut will begin with a flagship location in Toronto set to open in 2024, the companies said, with plans for 35 locations across the country by 2035.The New York-based fast food brand that started out of a hotdog cart in Madison Square Park in 2001 and now has 440 locations worldwide has been eyeing Canada for “quite some time,” said the company’s chief global licensing officer, Michael Kark, in a statement.He promised the Canadian locations will feature a mix of Shake Shack classics including its burgers, chicken sandwiches, crinkle-cut fries, frozen custard, beer and wine, along with “bespoke Canada-exclusive items.” Read more: Grand opening of Toronto Chick-fil-A generates both excitement and anger Kark described Osmington and Harlo as “exceptional” partners for the company’s expansion.Osmington was involved with the Atlanta Thrashers’ relocation to Winnipeg and the retail redevelopment of Toronto’s Union Station, while Harlo is behind restaurants such as Mimi Chinese, Kasa Moto and Planta.“Shake Shack has long been a brand that we admire,” said Lawrence Zucker, chief executive of Osmington, in a statement.“Their emphasis on community building, enlightened hospitality and exceptional food quality aligns with our values and we are thrilled to be bringing them to Canada.”Shake Shack’s long-awaited entrance into the Canadian market comes amid a wave of U.S.