[Asia Economy Reporter Suyeon Woo] Inspire Brands, which operates the fast-food chain Avis, is acquiring Dunkin' Brands Group, the operator of Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins, for $11.3 billion (approximately 12.8 trillion KRW).
According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the 31st (local time), Inspire Brands and Dunkin' Brands Group have agreed to sign a purchase and sale agreement with these terms by the end of the year.
Once Inspire Brands acquires Dunkin' Brands, it will become the second-largest restaurant chain in the United States by number of locations. The number of locations will increase to about 32,000, and the number of employees is expected to reach 600,000.
According to data provider Dealogic, this deal is the second-largest restaurant chain acquisition in North America in the past 10 years. The largest deal was in 2014, when Restaurant Brands International, owner of the Burger King chain, acquired Canadian coffee and donut company Tim Hortons for $13.3 billion (approximately 15 trillion KRW).
Paul Brown, Chief Executive Officer of Inspire Brands, said, "Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins, which have maintained over 70 years of tradition, are leaders in their fields and among the most iconic brands worldwide. Adding them to Inspire Brands will enhance customer service experiences and more."
Inspire Brands is a company owned by private equity firm Roark Capital and owns dining brands such as Avis, Buffalo Wild Wings, Sonic Drive-In, and Jimmy John's.
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