Dunkin’ Donuts teams up with Baskin-Robbins

BANGOR – Baskin-Robbins, the world’s largest chain of specialty ice cream stores, will open 100 franchises in combination with Dunkin’ Donuts stores in New England by the end of summer.

One of the franchises already opened April 21 at the Dunkin’ Donuts at 749 Hogan Road in Bangor. It is now the only Baskin-Robbins store in the state, but another is set to open within days in South Portland, according to a company spokesman.

Both the Baskin-Robbins and Dunkin’ Donuts brands are part of Randolph, Mass.-based Allied Dome Quick Service Restaurants and are wholly owned subsidiaries of Allied Dome PLC (NYSE: AED).

The official 100-store launch in New England, which involves an estimated investment of $15 million to $17 million, will take place on Wednesday. From 6 to 10 p.m. that day, visitors to the targeted Dunkin’ Donuts will be treated with a free scoop of ice cream.

The new Baskin-Robbins locations will offer a wide variety of ice cream flavors, including the signature Flavor of the Month; milkshakes and a line of frozen coffee beverages called Cappuccino Blasts; sundaes and banana splits; hand- and prepacked quarts; and custom ice cream and cake creations.

The Bangor Baskin-Robbins offers 24 flavors of ice cream, according to manager Scott Murray. He said the Dunkin’ Donuts is now open 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and the Baskin-Robbins 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Murray added that expanded hours would be offered during the summer months.

Baskin-Robbins has 4,700 stores in 40 countries. Dunkin’ Donuts is the largest coffee and baked goods chain in the world, with more than 5,000 combined locations in 32 countries.