Barbie is getting ready to hit the hockey rink with an assist from Tim Hortons.
But the coffee chain's locations won't be selling the pint-sized plastic hockey players until both Black and white versions of the doll are available, a spokeswoman said Tuesday.
Solange Bernard, head of marketing communications, said Tim Hortons started working with Mattel last year to roll out a hockey-themed Barbie as part of a charitable initiative aimed at getting girls involved in the sport.
Bernard said the plan was originally to launch one doll, but amid protests against anti-Black racism in recent months, Tim Hortons decided to push back the launch to make the product more diverse.
Tim Hortons worked with Mattel to rush the production of a Black version of the Barbie doll, Bernard said.
Currently, stores are selling the white version of the doll, which comes with a Tim Hortons jersey, helmet and hockey stick. The Black doll is still being manufactured, Bernard said.
A Mattel spokesperson said in a statement that the toy maker is committed to ensuring that the "diversity in this line is fully represented" and plans to expand its retail offerings this fall.
Bernard said both versions of the doll will be available for purchase at Tim Hortons restaurants in November.
The proceeds are to be donated to a Hockey Canada Foundation initiative aimed at getting girls on the ice, she said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 18, 2020.
The Canadian Press