Dunkin’ Brands, the US company behind two popular international food chains, Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins, has just announced that it will bring this fast-food doughnut store to our South African shores within the next few years. (In mid-2015 we already reported about the ice cream brand’s imminent appearance.)

A strawberry sprinkles donut from Dunkin’ Donuts. Photo by M01229.

The company has recently signed a franchise agreement with Grand Parade Investments Ltd (GPI) to begin developing both the Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins restaurants in SA. An estimated 250 Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants and more than 70 Baskin-Robbins shops will start popping up in South Africa over the next few years, beginning with Cape Town and Johannesburg.

Says Bill Mitchell, President of Dunkin’ Brands International: “We look forward to supporting GPI in their efforts to make Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins available to a growing number of customers in South Africa in the years ahead.”

Dunkin’ Donuts is one of the world’s leading coffee and bakery chains, with more than 11 500 restaurants in 40 countries worldwide. The doughnut restaurants in South Africa will feature the brand’s range of hot and iced coffees, teas, sandwiches, bagels, and, of course, their famous deep-fried dough rings. Get ready for flavours along the lines of apple croissant, coconut, peanut butter and jelly, and cookie dough. The brand will also offer regional menu items to cater to local tastes. (We’re hoping for milktart flavour or maybe even Peppermint Crisp.)

Baskin-Robbins has also been known to tailor flavours to its international audiences, such as Red Bean, Green Tea, Litchi Gold, Cantaloupe and Coconut Grove.

This exciting news follows hot on the heels of the successful launch of Krispy Kreme in November 2015, with the brands joining other newly arrived international names such as Starbucks and Burger King.

There are no dates set for their landing in Mzansi, but get ready to form an orderly queue.