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Here is some information about the owners of Dunkin Donuts š§ Founding and Early Ownership Dunkinā was founded in 1950 by Bill Rosenberg in Quincy, Massachusetts. He opened the first Dunkinā Donuts restaurant with the goal of serving fresh coffee and donuts quickly. The first franchise followed in 1955, and the brand expanded rapidly in the decades that followed. š¢ Corporate Ownership Today Today, Dunkinā is owned by Inspire Brands, Inc. ā a large restaurant company based in Sandy Springs, Georgia. Inspire Brands acquired Dunkinā Brands (the company that owned Dunkinā and Baskin-Robbins) in December 2020 in a deal valued at about $11.3 billion USD. As part of Inspireās portfolio, Dunkinā is managed alongside other well-known restaurant chains like Arbyās, Buffalo Wild Wings, Sonic Drive-In, Jimmy Johnās, and Baskin-Robbins. š§ Parent Company Info Inspire Brands was founded in 2018 by Neal Aronson and Paul J. Brown and is backed by the private equity firm Roark Capital Group. Roark Capital is a major investor that owns or has backed many restaurant and food-service brands, which explains why Dunkinā is grouped with other familiar names under one umbrella. š„Ø Franchise Model Although Inspire Brands owns the Dunkinā brand, most Dunkinā shops are franchised ā meaning independent business owners operate the individual restaurants under the Dunkinā name and brand standards. Franchise owners pay fees and follow Dunkinās system, but they run the day-to-day operations of their locations. š Summary Founder: Bill Rosenberg (1950). Current Corporate Owner: Inspire Brands, Inc. (since 2020). Investor Backing: Roark Capital Group (through Inspire). How It Operates: Dunkinā is a franchised business with many independent shop owners but managed and branded by Inspire. |