Crossing the Border With Sushi and More

Edo is a 45-year-old brand that began in Calgary,  crossed the Canadian border to Arizona this month, and has bold expansion plans for the U.S. 

About a million Canadians visit Arizona annually and contribute about $800 million to its economy, so choosing the hot state for its first U.S. location makes business sense.

Among some of the other Canada-first brands that have succeeded in the U.S. are:

• Tim Hortons: Founded in 1964, the coffee and doughnuts brand now has close to 700 U.S. locations.
• Lululemon: Known for its stylish workout attire, the retail brand started in Vancouver in 1998 and now has about 400 stores, many of which are in California. But the brand is now a U.S. household (and gym) name.
• Moxie’s Restaurants: Operating in eight Canadian provinces, the fast-casual MULO (multi-location) dining establishment now has eight locations in the U.S. — Texas, Arizona, Massachusetts, and Florida —and plans to open more.
• Canada Goose: If this down apparel brand can withstand cold northern temperatures, selling into the U.S. market should be a slam-dunk (or a slam-duck, if you prefer).  Although the brand only has one dedicated store (in Chicago), the warm jackets can be found online and at some MULO retailers.
• Aritzia: This women’s clothing brand operates 127 stores across North America, with 68 in Canada and 44 in the U.S.
• Showcase: This MULO brand sells health and beauty products, home goods, toys, novelty candy, and food. It has 109 Canadian and 41 U.S. outposts.
• Ardene: Opening its first store in Montreal in 1982, the company now has more than 300 stores in Canada, the U.S., and the Middle East. They are a fast-fashion (clothing and accessories) retailer.

Only time will tell how border tariffs and the U.S./Canada relationship will impact the success of these Canada-first brands. Many have manufacturing facilities in the U.S., which may be helpful in the long term.

But for now, let’s put politics aside and enjoy some of these brands that have crossed to border to the United States and enjoy the new experiences and tastes they provide.

For more trends about scaling MULO restaurant, retail, and service brands, please join us on September 30th at Street Fight LIVE 2025.