Baskin-Robbins Press Kit

About Baskin-Robbins
America’s Favorite Neighborhood Ice Cream Shop

Baskin-Robbins was founded in 1945 in Glendale, California by Burton Baskin and Irvine Robbins, ice cream enthusiasts and brothers-in-law, whose passion inspired what is now the world's largest chain of ice cream specialty shops. What was once a selection of 31 flavors—Baskin-Robbins ―31® stands for a different ice cream flavor for each day of the month—has grown to more than 1,000 in its flavor library.

“We sell fun, not ice cream.” – Irv Robbins

Today, Baskin-Robbins is the world‘s largest chain of ice cream specialty stores, serving over 300 million customers each year worldwide. The brand is still guided by the same credo and innovative thinking as its founders.

Baskin-Robbins has historically led the industry with innovations such as hand-packed quarts of ice cream, a unique flavor ribbon technique and the use of traditional ingredients such as apple pie and cheesecake. And, Baskin-Robbins continues to introduce new creations that surprise and delight customers – in 2008 the brand launched Soft Serve, making it the largest national chain to offer both Soft Serve and hand scooped ice cream. Additional products include layered sundaes, signature ice cream cakes, ice cream Cake Bites, and a growing line of beverages, including Fruit Blasts, Fruit Blast Smoothies, Cappuccino Blast® and shakes.

Over the past 68 years, Baskin-Robbins‘ spirit of fun and innovation has captured notable moments in American history though its unique ice cream flavors. When the Dodgers moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles in 1957, Baskin-Robbins commemorated the move with Baseball Nut. In 1964, when Beatlemania struck the United States, a new flavor called Beatle Nut hit Baskin-Robbins shops. When the first astronauts set foot on the moon in 1969, Lunar Cheesecake also landed in Baskin-Robbins shops within minutes. Baskin-Robbins has captured historic moments with landmark flavors like Gorba-Chocolate, which was inspired by the Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev. In 2002, Shrek Swirl was introduced, celebrating the animated hit movie and its star green ogre.

Today, Baskin-Robbins continues the tradition of creating ice cream flavors around historic moments and periods as well as honoring pop cultural figures, both real and fictional.

A Dunkin’ Brands Group, Inc. Company

Company, At-A-Glance

Baskin-Robbins is owned by Dunkin‘ Brands Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: DNKN).
Total global franchisee-reported sales for Baskin-Robbins: $1.9 billion. (For Year-End, 2012)
Total worldwide shops: Nearly 7,000 shops in nearly 50 countries; Nearly 2,500 U.S. shops in 44 states, plus the District of Columbia; More than 4,500 international shops. (As of Year-End, 2012)

130 Royall Street Canton, MA 02021
P: 781-737-3000
F: 781-737-4000
A Dunkin’ Brands Group, Inc. Company

Baskin Robbins Locations

Baskin-Robbins’ Flavor Timeline

Culinary Excellence

Baskin-Robbins is committed to offering delectable, high-quality, fun products. To meet this commitment, in 2006 Baskin-Robbins‘ parent company, Dunkin‘ Brands Group, Inc., assembled a culinary dream team of acclaimed chefs to create new and innovative menu choices.
The culinary team is led by award-winning chef Stan Frankenthaler, the company‘s first-ever Executive Chef & Vice President of Innovation. Frankenthaler is a three-time James Beard Award nominee and author of The New York Times best-seller, The Occidental Tourist. For Baskin-Robbins, Frankenthaler oversees all aspects of the development of new flavors and products, both domestic and international. Before joining Dunkin‘ Brands, Frankenthaler was owner and chef of Salamander restaurant in Boston, named by Zagat‘s as one of the city‘s ―Top Ten Restaurants.

Working with Stan, Christopher Boos, Baskin-Robbins‘ Executive Pastry Chef, creates innovative new menu items for the brand, while sharing his knowledge of pastry design and preparation with franchise owners throughout the world. Christopher spent nearly a decade at Restaurant Associates in New York, serving as Pastry Chef to more than 60 top restaurants throughout the state. His pastry creations were served at events for some of the most prominent New York City institutions, including the Metropolitan Opera, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the United Nations.

Since the assembly of the culinary dream team, major Baskin-Robbins‘ product launches have included layered sundaes, international premium gourmet cakes, the Fudge Crunch Cake, and beverages including the Fruit Blast and the Fruit Blast Smoothie

In 2008, the culinary dream team helped Baskin-Robbins launch Soft Serve as well as 31° Below™ sundaes and pies. Baskin-Robbins is the first national ice cream chain to offer both hand scooped ice cream and now Soft Serve.

In 2009, Baskin-Robbins launched a line of fat free, reduced fat, dairy free, no sugar added, frozen yogurt and light ice cream options. BRight Choices® flavors are lighter, but still have the taste and quality customers expect from Baskin-Robbins treats.

In 2011, Baskin-Robbins unveiled ice cream Cake Bites, a culinary innovation that combines both ice cream and cake into a single serving. These beautifully presented mini desserts are covered with indulgent ganache and finished with a decorative drizzle of either chocolate or caramel.

In 2009, Baskin-Robbins launched a line of fat free, reduced fat, dairy free, no sugar added, frozen yogurt and light ice cream options. BRight Choices® flavors are lighter, but still have the taste and quality customers expect from Baskin-Robbins treats.

BRight Choices provides a variety of options for guests looking for a lighter frozen treat. Ice cream lovers can make their favorite sundaes and frozen beverages into lighter treats by using BRight Choices flavor options. BRight Choices treats are available year-round with Fat-Free Vanilla Frozen Yogurt and Daiquiri Ice included as permanent additions to the dipping cabinet. Additional BRight Choices flavors, including Premium Churned Light and Premium Churned Reduced Fat No Sugar Added ice cream options, are introduced throughout the year.

Examples of BRight Choices flavors include:

Premium Churned Light Ice Cream – 50 percent less fat and 20 percent fewer calories than Baskin-Robbins regular ice cream

• Strawberry De-Vine: Strawberry flavored light ice cream with a sultry strawberry licorice ribbon, 120 calories and 3.5 grams of fat in a 2.5 ounce scoop

Premium Churned Reduced Fat No Sugar Added Ice Cream – 25 percent less fat than Baskin-Robbins regular ice cream

• Thin Mint: Smooth no sugar added mint ice cream with no sugar added chocolate flavored chunks, 110 calories and 5 grams of fat in a 2.5 ounce scoop
• Pineapple Coconut: Reduced fat Pineapple Coconut ice cream with chunks of pineapple, 100 calories and 4 grams of fat in a 2.5 ounce scoop

Frozen Yogurt – Made with live and active cultures

• Fat-Free Vanilla: Creamy fat free Vanilla frozen yogurt, made with live and active cultures, 90 calories and 0 grams of fat in a 2.5 ounce scoop
• Raspberry Cheese Louise: Cheesecake flavored frozen yogurt sprinkled with raspberry swirled cheesecake pieces and graham crackers finished with a sweet raspberry ribbon, 140 calories and 5 grams of fat in a 2.5 ounce scoop.

Sorbets and Ices – Fat free and dairy free

• Daiquiri Ice: If you put your ear up to this summery lime ice with a splash of rum flavoring, you can hear the ocean, 80 calories and 0 grams of fat in a 2.5 ounce scoop.

Birthday Club
Irresistible Treats, Smiles, and Fun

The Baskin-Robbins Birthday Club began in the 1950s. Children who joined the club received a card in the mail, which they redeemed in shops for a free scoop of ice cream on their birthdays.

Today, the Baskin-Robbins Birthday Club is open to "kids of all ages.‖ Club members receive free scoops on their birthdays, along with other coupons and perks. Guests can sign up for the Baskin-Robbins Birthday Club by visiting www.BaskinRobbins.com or the Baskin-Robbins Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BaskinRobbins.


Corporate Social Responsibility

Baskin-Robbins strives to be recognized as a company that responsibly serves our guests, franchisees, employees, communities, business partners and the interests of our planet. Our commitment to corporate social responsibility is defined by four priorities:
Our People. From our employees to our franchisees and crew members, we believe in treating everyone with respect and fairness.
Our Guests. We are passionate about offering our guests delicious products they will enjoy, giving them plenty of menu options, and providing accurate nutrition information so they can make the best choices for themselves.

Our Planet. We recognize that everything we do has an impact on the environment. From the materials we use, to the way we construct and operate our stores, to the products we source, we are committed to adopting better, more sustainable approaches whenever feasible.

Our Neighbors. We are dedicated to serving the basic needs of our local communities – from providing food for the hungry and support for children‘s health and wellness, to ensuring our neighborhoods are safe and secure.

In 2011, Dunkin‘ Brands published our first Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) report in which we highlighted our efforts to date as well as short and long-term goals in areas such as nutrition, sourcing, packaging and sustainable building. This first report focuses on our corporate functions and North American facilities owned and operated by Dunkin‘ Brands or our subsidiaries for the year 2010. We plan to report on a two-year cycle and our 2012 CSR report will include highlights of our international efforts as well.

To download the complete 2010 report, please visit www.dunkinbrands.com/responsibility.


The Dunkin’ Donuts & Baskin-Robbins Community Foundation

In 2006, we established The Dunkin‘ Donuts & Baskin-Robbins Community Foundation (DDBRCF). Working in partnership with Dunkin‘ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins franchisees across the United States, the Foundation serves the basic needs of our communities through food for the hungry, safety and children‘s health. It‘s what we do every day.

The DDBRCF focuses its support on three critical issue areas that are relevant to the neighborhoods we serve:

Food for Our Hungry – Fulfilling critical hunger needs in our communities through partnerships with local food banks and hunger relief organizations

Health for Our Children – Improving the health and wellness of children through partnerships with children‘s hospitals and organizations that support research and treatment of children‘s diseases and illnesses

Safety for Our Neighborhoods – Ensuring the safety of our neighborhoods and communities through partnerships with organizations that support our firefighters, public safety officers, and troops at home and abroad

The DDBRCF partners with a limited number of national nonprofit organizations including Feeding America and the United Services Organization (USO) whose missions are aligned with our priorities in food, safety and children‘s health. In partnership with our eight regional chapters, The DDBRCF works with our franchisees to support community organizations. Since 2006, The DDBRCF has donated more than $2.5 million to organizations serving our neighborhoods. To learn more, log onto www.dunkinbrands.com/foundation.


Baskin-Robbins Fun Facts

• There are nearly 7,000 Baskin-Robbins locations around the world, with nearly 2,500 located in the United States.
• Baskin-Robbins operates in nearly 50 countries worldwide. The largest being Japan, with over 1,000 stores.
• Baskin-Robbins "31®stands for a different ice cream flavor for each day of the month."
• Pralines 'n Cream ice cream was created by Irv Robbins and his wife Irma in their California home kitchen in 1970.
• Baskin-Robbins has created more than 1,000 delicious and unique ice cream flavors in its 68 year history.
• Baskin-Robbins‘ top selling ice cream flavors are Vanilla, Chocolate, Mint Chocolate Chip, Pralines 'n Cream, and Chocolate Chip. Pralines 'n Cream outsells Vanilla internationally.
• Baskin-Robbins Franchisee, Mitch Cohen, currently holds the Guinness World Record for scooping the most ice cream cones in one minute (19 cones).
• Baskin-Robbins currently holds the Guinness World Record for the largest cup of ice cream. The giant vanilla ice cream scoop, weighing 8,865 lbs., was created on September 13, 2005 in celebration of the company‘s 60th birthday.
• Famous former Baskin-Robbins scoopers include United States President Barack Obama, chef Bobby Flay, actresses Julia Roberts, Rosie O‘Donnell and Chandra Wilson, actors Eric Dane and Randy Quaid, TV host Leeza Gibbons and New York Yankees pitcher Phil Hughes.
• Sean ―Diddy Combs got his first break by starring in a Baskin-Robbins commercial at the age of two.

Industry Recognition

In 2008, Baskin-Robbins was named the top ice cream and frozen dessert franchise in the United States by Entrepreneur magazine.

Additionally, Baskin-Robbins has earned the following distinctions:

• According to The NPD Group / CREST®, for the year ending December 2012, Baskin-Robbins was tied for the No. 1 share of hard scoop ice cream servings at quick service restaurants.
• According to the International Franchise Association, Baskin-Robbins is the No. 1 ice cream franchise worldwide

Winner of a Silver Addy for excellence in advertising in 2008.


Corporate Headquarters

Dunkin‘ Brands, Inc.
130 Royall Street
Canton, MA 02021
781-737-3000
Dunkin‘ Brands Corporate Communications Media Line:
781-737-5200

Contact information

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Dunkin' Brands Media Relations

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Division

Telephone

781-737-5200

Fax

Mobile

Email

press@dunkinbrands.com