Here's how this banh mi chain has taken over Toronto in just 9 months

A Toronto banh mi chain that first opened in February 2026 has already expanded to seven locations across the GTA in just nine months — and they're not slowing down any time soon.

If you've been anywhere in Toronto, really, in the past nine months, there's a good chance you've seen her: a red-haired, chibi-style character sporting a conical hat, utterly overjoyed to be on the verge of biting into a banh mi served on a red — yes, red — bun.

The character's name, it turns out, is Lina, and she's the mascot for Banh Mi Journey, a Vietnamese chain that has set up shop in a series of the city's most populous neighbourhoods in record time.

But with banh mi shops popping up like mushrooms across the city lately, how has Banh Mi Journey been able to accomplish such major, rapid growth? Surely Lina can't be doing all the legwork.

Opening the chain's original location in The Beaches in February 2026, co-founders Lien Nguyen and Duy Pham tell blogTO that they never imagined Banh Mi Journey would expand so quickly.

"It all started with a simple idea: we wanted to take one of Vietnam's most beloved street foods and give it a fresh, modern identity while preserving its authentic Vietnamese spirit," they tell blogTO.

"We didn't want to create just another sandwich shop. We wanted something that would stand out, something people could recognize immediately and remember."

They achieved that not only by making some mean banh mi, drinks and other Vietnamese street foods, but by developing their signature red buns which, aside from Lina, of course (more on her later), have become the shop's most recognizable offerings.

The red is a nod to the Vietnamese flag and, by extension, to Nguyen and Pham's heritage, they tell blogTO, but they didn't come by it easily.

"We went through countless recipes, experiments, failures, and improvements to achieve the texture, colour, and quality we wanted," they say. "Sometimes we achieved the beautiful red colour, but the texture wasn't right. Other times, the bread had the texture we loved, but the colour wasn't what we envisioned."

It took a lot of hard work and determination to perfect the bread, which, by the time they opened the first location, had already taught them an important lesson about running a business — and one that's allowed them to keep pushing Banh Mi Journey beyond what they initially thought possible.

Creating Lina, the shop's mascot, who Pham and Nguyen describe as "adventurous, friendly, curious, and proud of her Vietnamese roots," was another integral element in building out Banh Mi Journey's brand recognition.

"When people see Lina, we hope they feel a sense of warmth, happiness, and curiosity," they tell blogTO. "In many ways, Lina represents us too: two Vietnamese entrepreneurs carrying our culture, our dreams, and our determination with us wherever this journey takes us."

So how has Banh Mi Journey built such a strong presence in record time? Pham and Nguyen tell blogTO that it all comes down to the shop's business model and the brand identity they worked so hard to craft.

"Banh mi is an ideal grab-and-go food, and our compact store concept allows us to operate in smaller spaces with relatively manageable operating costs," they divulge.

Because of that, they've quickly been met with a slew of eager partners and franchisees who want to join in the journey.

"But beyond the business model, we believe creativity and continuous improvement have played a huge role," they add. "We're constantly experimenting with new recipes, developing creative drinks, improving our products, and listening to customer feedback."

Nguyen and Pham are now preparing to open their eighth location, but given their current growth, I wouldn't be surprised if you'll soon be as likely to see Lina's cheerful face as the Starbucks mermaid in this city.