Dunkin' Donuts Announces New Franchisee in St. Louis, MO

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Dunkin' Development of Greater St. Louis to Open 10 New Restaurants; One Location to Open in 2011

CANTON, Mass., March 4 // PRNewswire // -- Dunkin' Donuts, America's favorite all-day, everyday, stop for coffee and baked goods, announced today the signing of a multi-unit store development agreement with Dunkin' Development of Greater St. Louis (DDGSL) for the development of 10 restaurants. The franchisee's plans call for one unit to open by 2011, and the balance within the next several years.

Dunkin' opened St. Louis for franchise sales in February 2008 and has since signed a total of three store development agreements totaling 34 units.

Jay Patel, managing partner of DDGSL, currently owns six Subway restaurants in Philadelphia in addition to owning multiple convenience stores and gas stations in St. Louis. He is also the President of Accurate Personnel Services.

In addition to the 10 units purchased by Jay Patel, Dunkin' is looking for new franchisees to purchase a minimum of ten restaurants in St. Louis including the surrounding counties of St. Charles, Jefferson, Lincoln, Warren and Washington, in addition to Southwest St. Louis City and county. Also open for development are several neighboring counties in Illinois including Madison, St. Clair, Macoupin, Clinton, Monroe, Jersey, Bond and Calhoun. Dunkin' Donuts development of St. Louis is part of a steady and strategic growth strategy, which includes expanding in existing markets while entering new cities across the country to help direct the company's future growth.

"Dunkin' Donuts is excited to welcome Dunkin' Development of Greater St. Louis to the St. Louis market," says Lynette McKee, CFE, vice president of franchising, Dunkin' Brands, Inc. "These restaurants will satisfy a growing demand in St. Louis for high quality coffee and baked goods that are available all day."

Building a network of restaurants also 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, as well as other retail environments.

According to McKee, "Dunkin' Donuts will satisfy a growing demand 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 the community."

"We are proud to bring Dunkin' Donuts' new menu to St. Louis, MO" said Jay Patel, Managing Partner. "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 here."

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' Donut's 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 every day, 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.

SOURCE Dunkin' Donuts

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