Dunkin' Donuts Franchise Announces 23 New Restaurants Along Connecticut Turnpike

By: Dunkin' | 63 Shares 480 Reads

Existing Franchisees Men at Work IV, LLC to Open Six Restaurants in 2011 and Remainder by 2014

CANTON, MA--(Marketwire - September 22, 2010) - Dunkin' Donuts, America's favorite every day, all-day stop for coffee and baked goods, announced today the signing of a multi-unit agreement with existing Dunkin' Donuts franchisee, Men at Work IV, LLC for the development of 23 restaurants in service plazas on I-95, the Merritt Parkway/RT-15, and I-395, commonly known as the Connecticut Turnpike. The first six locations are expected to open in 2011 and the remainder by 2014.

Led by Thomas J. Hughes, Alex Smigelski and Thomas P. Carpenter, the partners of Men at Work IV, LLC have opened or acquired 20 Dunkin' Donuts restaurants since 2007 including one in Greenwich, CT, ten in South Central Pennsylvania and nine in the New York Metro market. The three partners attended college at the United States Merchant Marine Academy where they were classmates, teammates and best friends. Together with their management team they have over 90 years of corporate practice and 80 years of quick service restaurant experience.

"We are excited to expand Dunkin' Donuts' presence throughout Connecticut and play an important role in the daily lives of people who live, work and visit here," said Alex Smigelski, managing partner, Men at Work IV, LLC. "We have a strong passion and loyalty for the brand and look forward to the opening of these restaurants in the years to come."

During the first half of 2010, Dunkin' Donuts opened 338 net new locations worldwide with 75 of those new restaurants opening in the U.S. The company also signed 72 new domestic development commitments, continuing to hold its spot as one of the fastest growing brands in the QSR industry.

To drive its expansion efforts, Dunkin' Donuts has aligned its strategy to support the growth opportunities and consumer needs of individual markets. As a result, the company continues to expand with single and multi-unit opportunities with no minimum unit requirements.

"Dunkin' Donuts welcomes Men at Work IV to the Connecticut market," said Grant Benson, CFE, vice president of franchising and market planning, Dunkin' Brands, Inc. "As existing Dunkin' Donuts franchisees, they possess a wealth of knowledge on the brand, and we are thrilled they are expanding their network in the Northeast. These restaurants will satisfy a growing demand in Connecticut for high quality coffee and baked goods that are available all day."

Building a solid network of restaurants within a market enables Dunkin' Donuts to invest in a distribution model that provides a consistent, high-quality product guests expect "in the way and on the way" of their daily routines. In an effort to keep the brand fresh and competitive, Dunkin' Donuts offers flexible concepts for any real estate format including free-standing restaurants, end caps, in-line sites, gas and convenience, travel plazas, universities, as well as other retail environments.

Historically a doughnut and hot coffee chain, Dunkin' Donuts has expanded its offering to include frozen and iced beverages, a full bakery assortment including bagels and muffins, breakfast sandwiches, and an all-day Oven-Toasted menu which includes flatbread sandwiches, hash browns and buttermilk biscuits. The new platform marks the most significant addition to Dunkin' Donuts' product lineup since the company launched espresso-based beverages in 2003.

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 a market leader in the regular/decaf coffee, iced coffee, hot flavored coffee, donut, bagel and muffin categories, and the largest coffee and baked goods chain in the world. Dunkin' Donuts has earned the No. 1 ranking for customer loyalty in the coffee category by Brand Keys for four years running. The company has more than 9,000 restaurants in 31 countries worldwide. In 2009, Dunkin' Donuts' global system-wide sales were more than $5.7 billion. Based in Canton, Massachusetts, Dunkin' Donuts is a subsidiary of Dunkin' Brands, Inc.

###