U.S. sandwich-shop chain Jimmy John’s will expand into Manitoba this fall with its first location in Winnipeg.

Foodtastic, the Canadian franchisor for Jimmy John’s, has granted the Manitoba franchising rights to Winnipeg-based White Spuce Partners. White Spruce is headed by Derek Nieroda, the firm’s founder and president, who will serve as the location’s franchisee.

The first Jimmy John’s in Winnipeg will be located at an unnamed strip mall at 1740 Pembina Highway. White Spruce leased the space from the mall’s owner Shindico.

This will be the first Jimmy John’s Canadian location featuring a drive-thru. Nieroda called that accomplishment “an exciting milestone” for White Spruce.

“This flagship location reinforces our commitment to working with best-in-class brands and delivering high-profile sites that support long-term growth,” said Sandy Shindleman, Shindico’s founder, president and CEO.

Nieroda and White Spruce General Manager are planning to bring several Jimmy John’s locations to Winnipeg and the surrounding area. An undetermined number will be located in Shindico retail centres. Shindico is representing Jimmy John’s, through White Spruce, in Manitoba. Dino Alevizos, a Shindico broker and the firm’s vice-president of commercial and business development, is working with White Spruce on the locations’ rollout.

“We’re doing the real estate selection [for White Spruce],” Shindico Chief Operating Officer Alex Akman told Connect. “We have an offer in on another location right now, and we’ve secured a third location, [expected to open] in 2026 within our portfolio. I can’t state the location because it’s currently occupied.”

Shindico has done real estate transactions previously with Nieroda, a former investment banker who owns a few businesses based in Winnipeg.

“We would expect him to open 10 locations in Manitoba and we’re hopeful that we’re going to be doing the site selection for all of them,” said Akman.