Dunkin' Brands

Dunkinbrands logo

Dunkin' Brands Group, Inc. was an American restaurant holding company which ran two chains of fast-food restaurants: Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins. The company was headquartered in Canton, Massachusetts.

History

Dunkin' Brands was originally founded as Allied Domecq Quick Service Restaurants, a subsidiary of Allied Domecq. In 2004, the company was acquired by a consortium of private equity firms including Bain Capital, Carlyle Group, and Thomas H. Lee Partners. The company was renamed Dunkin' Brands in 2006.

In 2011, Dunkin' Brands became a publicly traded company on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol DNKN. In December 2020, Dunkin' Brands was acquired by Inspire Brands, a multi-brand restaurant company.

Operations

Dunkin' Brands operated two primary brands:

• Dunkin' Donuts: A global doughnut and coffeehouse chain founded in 1950 by William Rosenberg in Quincy, Massachusetts. The chain is known for its wide variety of doughnuts, bagels, and coffee beverages.
• Baskin-Robbins: An international chain of ice cream and cake specialty shops founded in 1945 by Burt Baskin and Irv Robbins in Glendale, California. The chain is famous for its "31 flavors" slogan, with the idea that a customer could have a different flavor every day of the month.

Corporate Structure

Dunkin' Brands was structured to support its franchisees, providing marketing, operational, and training support. The company generated revenue through franchise fees, royalties, and sales of products to franchisees.

Acquisition by Inspire Brands

In October 2020, it was announced that Dunkin' Brands would be acquired by Inspire Brands for $11.3 billion. The acquisition was completed in December 2020, making Dunkin' Brands a subsidiary of Inspire Brands, which also owns other restaurant chains such as Arby's, Buffalo Wild Wings, and Sonic Drive-In.

See Also

• Dunkin' Donuts
• Baskin-Robbins
• Inspire Brands
• Allied Domecq
• Bain Capital
• Carlyle Group
• Thomas H. Lee Partners