Dunkin' Donuts Announces Unique Franchising Opportunity in Select Cities

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Seeking One Qualified Franchisee to Develop Entire Market

CANTON, Mass., Aug. 19 // PRNewswire // -- Dunkin' Donuts, America's favorite everyday, all-day stop for coffee and baked goods, is in the midst of a national expansion to increase its franchised locations in the U.S. Fueling this growth is today's announcement that several rural markets near or adjacent to larger metropolitan areas, are now open for franchise sales. These markets offer a single, qualified franchisee the opportunity to own and operate the entire market. This plan is part of an extensive national growth strategy, which includes expanding in existing markets while entering new cities throughout the country.

Dunkin' Donuts is offering this unique opportunity in 14 select cities across the U.S. Specifically, the following markets are available with the locations ranging from three to 15 units per city: Harrisonburg and Bluefield, West Virginia; Florida Keys; Erie, PA; Bowling Green, KY; Lima and Zanesville, OH; Columbus-Jefferson City and Ottumwa, MO; Jonesboro, AR, Jackson, TN, and Paducah, KY.

To qualify, franchisees should have a minimum net worth of $1.5 million and liquid assets of at least $750,000. In addition, they or their management team should have restaurant and/or foodservice operations' and real estate experience.

"Dunkin' Donuts is offering this rare opportunity to those single, qualified franchisees who might be interested in purchasing a small-to-mid-range number of units outside of a larger metropolitan area," says Lynette McKee, CFE, vice president of franchising, Dunkin' Brands, Inc. "The added value is the ability to offer the franchisee the opportunity to become the face of the brand and to set the direction for their designated market. In addition, due to the economy, franchisees may find more attractive real estate opportunities in these markets."

According to McKee, Dunkin' Donuts will satisfy a growing demand in these smaller markets for high-quality coffee and baked goods that are available all day. Dunkin' Donuts is proud to energize Americans and keep the honest, hard-working, value-driven people of this country running every day -- whether it's in a boardroom, a schoolroom or a construction site. We look forward to being a vibrant part of the community and playing an important role in the daily lives of the people who live and work in and around these markets.

Building a network of stores enables Dunkin' Donuts to invest in a distribution model that ensures consistent, high-quality products that customers expect when visiting a Dunkin' Donuts location. In an effort to keep the brand fresh and competitive, Dunkin' Donuts offers franchisees a variety of designs and venues, including free-standing stores, sites within shopping centers and convenience stores and other retail environments.

At the end of July, Dunkin' announced the launch of DDSMART, the brand's first menu of better-for-you options. Menu items include both new and existing Dunkin' Donuts' food and beverages that meet one of the following criteria: 25 percent fewer calories; 25 percent less sugar, fat, saturated fat or sodium than comparable products, and /or contain ingredients that are nutritionally beneficial. DDSMART branded items became available in August in all participating restaurants nationwide.

Prior to DDSMART, Dunkin' Donuts launched its new, all-day Oven-Toasted menu. The new platform marks the most significant change to Dunkin' Donuts product lineup since the company launched espresso-based beverages in 2003. The menu items are available nationwide in participating cities.

About Dunkin' Donuts

Founded in 1950, Dunkin' Donuts is America's favorite everyday, all-day stop for coffee and baked goods. Dunkin' Donuts is the #1 retailer of hot and iced regular coffee-by-the-cup in America, and the largest coffee and baked goods chain in the world. Dunkin' Donuts has earned the #1 ranking for customer loyalty in the coffee category by Brand Keys for two years running. The company has more than 7,900 restaurants in 30 countries worldwide. In 2007, Dunkin' Donuts' global system-wide sales were $5.3 billion. Based in Canton, Massachusetts, Dunkin' Donuts is a subsidiary of Dunkin' Brands, Inc. For more information, visit http://www.Dunkinfranchising.com or call 877-9-DUNKIN.

CONTACT: Jenna Kantrowitz Fish Consulting 646-454-9708 jkantrowitz@fish-consulting.com

SOURCE Dunkin' Donuts

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