Dunkin' Donuts plans 50 franchised UK locations

CANTON, Mass. (AP) — Dunkin' Donuts said Thursday that it will move into the U.K. market, opening 50 franchised locations in the London area over the next five years.

The stores will be located in North and East London. Including the locations announced Thursday, Dunkin' Donuts wants to have 150 U.K. stores in five years.

The 25 North London locations will be developed by DDMG Ltd., a group formed by three franchisees from the Baltimore and Philadelphia area and two U.K. companies. The East London restaurants will be operated by the Court Group. Court Group is led by David Sheepshanks, the co-founder of Suffolk Foods and former chairman of Ipswich Town Football Club.

The company has about 10,500 locations in 31 countries. It has European shops in Germany, Russia, Spain, and Bulgaria.

Its parent Dunkin' Brands Group Inc. also runs Baskin-Robbins, which has about 100 locations in the U.K.

Dunkin' Brands Group shares rose 92 cents, or 2.1 percent, to $44.68 in morning trading. They are trading near their 52-week high of $45.25 set in early August. They traded as low as $28.50 last September.

Cox Media Group