Baked goods and coffee chain Dunkin' Donuts recently announced that three franchise groups have signed a multi-unit development agreement to develop 13 Dunkin' franchise businesses and four co-branded Dunkin'-Baskin-Robbins units across Atlanta, Georgia, over the next several years.
Here is an overview of the development plans and the three groups.
- West Georgia Café, Inc., an existing franchise group, is slated to develop one Dunkin’ location and a co-branded unit in Atlanta. Led by Hwei Hsieh, Hui Yin Shih and Chin Hsieh, this team already operates a Dunkin’ location in Atlanta and plans to open their next restaurant in 2017.
- Existing franchisee partners Ronka and Sandip Patel will develop one Dunkin’ location and three co-branded units in Atlanta. They already own three Dunkin’ locations and six co-branded stores in the Columbus and Atlanta Metro areas, with their new location slated for 2017.
- Bluemont Group, LLC, an existing franchisee, will develop 11 new Dunkin’ locations in Smyrna, Rockmart, Cartersville and Calhoun. The group already operates 22 franchise businesses in Tennessee, and their new store will open some time in 2016.
Dunkin' Brands Vice President of Global Franchising and Business Development and CFE Grant Benson says it’s the dedication and enthusiasm of franchisees that contribute to the growth of both the Dunkin' and Baskin-Robbins brands. The CFE noted the company is excited that the existing franchisees have decided to expand the brands' presence in the Georgia market.
Under the coffee and donuts chain, franchisees are allowed to choose from flexible concepts for various real estate formats, including freestanding locations, in-line sites and universities. The multi-brand efforts with Baskin-Robbins, the largest ice cream shop brand in the country, provide another revenue stream.
Franchise opportunities are still available for standalone Baskin-Robbins stores in Atlanta. To drive development, the brand is offering financial incentives that include reduced royalties for the first five years and half off of the initial franchise fee.
With more than 11,800 Dunkin' locations and more than 7,600 Baskin-Robbins currently operating worldwide, this coffee, baked goods and ice cream juggernaut is a brand that is recognized all over the globe.
Dunkin' Brands currently has franchise opportunities across the US, with highlighted states including Alabama, Minnesota and Michigan. Investment varies widely by location and restaurant type, but a freestanding location has a franchisee fee of around $40,000 to $90,000, with the total initial investment ranging from $250,094 to $1,692,314 plus real estate costs.
