Roots is dropping a limited-edition capsule series celebrating six of Canada’s most beloved roadside destinations as it looks to road trips gone by.
The collaboration with Toronto-born multidisciplinary artist and illustrator Moya Garrison-Msingwana are designed to graphically reflect the spirit and story of each partner establishment on crew sweatshirts, t-shirts, tote bags and baseball caps. Each piece of apparel is emblazoned with well-known rest-stop imagery from across Canada, including PEI’s Cows ice cream, Vancouver’s Duffin’s Donuts, Montreal bagel shops La Banquise and St-Viateur, along with Ontario’s The Big Apple pie emporium and Webers Hamburgers.
Images courtesy of Roots
“As a heritage brand, with over 50 years of incredibly rich history, we naturally have opportunities to bring nostalgia forward as we share our products and story with more and more consumers,” Roots CMO Leslie Golts tells strategy. “Roots has always been part of the moments that define a Canadian summer: the road trips, the detours, and the familiar stops that become just as memorable as the destination.”
The limited-edition Pit Stops Summer ’26 collection is supported by a national campaign spanning digital media, targeted paid and organic social, retail integration and earned media.
A pop-experience developed by Narrative XPR at The Well in downtown Toronto will offer the collection along with destination-inspired activations from July 29 to 31. The collection is available for purchase on online and at select Roots stores and partner locations starting July 28.
As part of the launch, customers shopping at Roots Hornby, Roots CF Toronto Eaton Centre and Roots Centreville on July 28 will also receive an exclusive giveaway from select restaurant partners with the purchase of an item from the collection, while supplies last.
The collection builds on last year’s Canada Dry collaboration, but this time broadens the nostalgic lens beyond a single heritage brand to celebrate the regional institutions that have become part of Canadian culture.
“This year, we wanted to make our collection feel even more rooted in local communities across Canada and evoke a variety of nostalgic summer moments for Canadians,” Golts says.
