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Atlanta-based company buys Dunkin Donuts for $11.3 billion

ATLANTA — If you’ve ever thought of having a donut after a sandwich, burger or chicken wings, an Atlanta based company now can offer them all to you.

Atlanta-based Inspire Brands officially announced its purchase of Dunkin Brands Friday for just over $11.3 billion.

Dunkin' Brands owns Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins and the sale will make Inspire one of the largest restaurant companies in the world.

Inspire owns more than 11,000 Arby’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, SONIC Drive-In, and Jimmy John’s locations worldwide. Dunkin' has more than 12,500 locations along with nearly 8,000 Baskin-Robbins restaurants around the world.

Once the sale goes through, Inspire will own some 32,000 restaurants in more than 60 countries with almost 600,000 employees. Dunkin' and Baskin-Robbins will continue operating as their own brands in the combined company.

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“Dunkin' and Baskin-Robbins are category leaders with more than 70 years of rich heritage, and together they are two of the most iconic restaurant brands in the world. By joining Inspire, these brands will add complementary guest experiences and occasions to our current portfolio,” said Paul Brown, CEO of Inspire.

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“Today’s announcement is a testament to our world-class group of franchisees, licensees, employees, and suppliers who have worked together to transform Dunkin' and Baskin-Robbins into modern, relevant brands. This team’s grit and determination has enabled us to deliver outsized performance and made our brands among the most elite in the quick service industry. I am particularly proud of our actions since March of this year. During the global pandemic, we have stood tall. We’ve had each other’s backs and are now stronger than ever,” said Dave Hoffmann, CEO of Dunkin' Brands.

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The deal has already been approved unanimously by both companies boards of directors and is expected to be finalized by the end of 2020.