Baskin-Robbins, the world’s largest ice-cream commercial property parlour chain, has announced plans to virtually double the number of UK commercial property stores over the next three years, creating hundreds of jobs.
The US-based commercial property company said it would open 80 new commercial property stores across Britain by 2015, creating around 400 full-time and part-time jobs.
Commercial property company Baskin Robbins, which is known for ice-cream flavours such as “bombshell blondie” and “strawberry lemonade”, currently has 100 commercial property outlets in the UK, including free-standing restaurants and smaller branches within other commercial property shops and cinemas.
The announcement came as the Chief Executive of the parent group Dunkin Brands, Nigel Travis and President of Dunkin’ Brands International, Giorgio Minardi, visited London to officially open three commercial property stores in Middlesex, London and Hertfordshire. Travis is a London native.
Travis said: “Baskin-Robbins takes pride in delighting guests the world over with its rich library of ice cream flavours and wide array of frozen treats. This is also great news for the British business community.
“Baskin-Robbins’ further growth in the UK provides an excellent opportunity for those looking to develop a franchise business. It also means hundreds of new jobs, which we are particularly pleased to be supporting.”
The move will be welcomed as youth unemployment in the UK remains above the one million mark, with economists predicting the total unemployment rate will rise in the months ahead.
Mr Travis added: “Baskin-Robbins’ further growth in the UK provides an excellent opportunity for those looking to develop a franchise business. It also means hundreds of new jobs, which we are particularly pleased to be supporting.”
The three new commercial property venues in London will feature Baskin-Robbins’ new international restaurant design, which includes textured walls reminiscent of Baskin-Robbins waffle cones, a relaxing lounge-style seating area, interactive LCD menu displays an extended topping station and enhanced dessert displays for modelling ice cream cakes and sundaes.
The commercial property shops will offer classic Baskin-Robbins ice cream flavours including Pralines ‘n Cream, Mint Chocolate Chip and Jamoca Almond Fudge, as well as local flavours such as English Toffee.
Baskin-Robbins was established by American ice-cream enthusiasts Irv Robbins and Burt Baskin in the 1940s and now has 6,700 commercial property stores in nearly 50 countries.
Outside the US, the commercial property company’s largest presence is in Japan where is has 850 commercial property stores. Its owner, Dunkin’ Brands Group, which also owns Dunkin’ Donuts, registered on the stock exchange in the US last year.
In the first quarter of this year, the commercial property group’s sweet treats bucked recessionary trends as same-store sales grew by 10.9 per cent.
