Canton / MA. (dd) A year after announcing its greater China expansion strategy and entry into Taiwan, Dunkin´ Donuts announced plans to open its first shops in Shanghai. The first shop is scheduled to open this spring, with a total of 100 new shops planned over the next ten years. The company recently granted the franchise rights for Shanghai, and provinces of Jiangsu, Zhijiang in the People´s Republic of China to Mercuries + Associates, which is the franchise partner for Taiwan. Mercuries opened its first Dunkin´ Donuts shop in Taiwan in January 2007 and currently operates ten shops there. Mercuries, one of the largest companies in Taiwan, brings 25 years of retail experience operating multiple consumer brands in the region. Located in prime real estate areas in Taipei, Dunkin´ Donuts has experienced strong growth in its first year of operation there. The brand will continue to expand in 2008 with an additional ten stores planned.
Founded in 1950, today Dunkin´ Donuts is the number one retailer of hot regular coffee-by-the-cup in America, selling 2,7 million cups a day, nearly one billion cups a year. The company is also the largest coffee and baked goods chain in the world and sells more hot regular coffee, iced coffee, donuts, and bagels than any other quick service restaurant in America. Dunkin´ Donuts has more than 7.900 restaurants in 31 countries worldwide. Based in Canton, Massachusetts, Dunkin’ Donuts is a subsidiary of Dunkin´ Brands Incorporated.
