View source for Baskin-Robbins

{{Short description|US international ice cream parlor chain}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{refimprove|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Baskin-Robbins
| logo = Baskin-Robbins logo 2022.svg
| logo_caption = Logo used in the U.S. and Canada since 2022
| type = [[Subsidiary]]
| founded = {{Start date and age|1945}} (as Snowbird Ice Cream)<br>[[Glendale, California]], U.S.
| founders = {{ublist |[[Burt Baskin]] |[[Irv Robbins]]}}
| hq_location = [[Canton, Massachusetts]], U.S.
| num_locations = 7,800+
| num_locations_year = 2024
| area_served = United States (incl. Puerto Rico), Aruba, Australia, Bahrain, Buthan, Canada, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Georgia, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Jordan, Kazahstan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Morocco, Nepal, Oman, Qatar, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan, Yemen
| industry = [[Food and Beverage]] [[Franchising]] [[Restaurants]]
| key_people = {{ubl|Paul J. Brown|Jeird Grandinetti}}
| products = {{ublist |[[Ice cream]] |Frozen beverages |Ice cream cakes |Frozen treats}}
| parent = [[Inspire Brands]]
| homepage = {{URL|inspirebrands.com}}
}}

'''Baskin-Robbins, Inc.''' is an American multinational chain of [[ice cream]] and [[cake]] [[specialty store|specialty shops]] owned by [[Inspire Brands]]. Baskin-Robbins was formed in 1945 by [[Burt Baskin]] and [[Irv Robbins]] in [[Glendale, California]].<ref name="Our History">"[http://www.baskinrobbins.com/content/baskinrobbins/en/aboutus/history.html Our History] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130115232527/http://baskinrobbins.com/content/baskinrobbins/en/aboutus/history.html |date=2013-01-15 }}". Baskin-Robbins' web site. Accessed 25 Feb. 2013.</ref> Its headquarters are in [[Canton, Massachusetts]], and shared with sibling brand [[Dunkin' Donuts]]. It is the world's largest chain of ice cream specialty stores,<ref name=entre>{{cite web|title=About Baskin-Robbins |url=http://www.entrepreneur.com/franchises/baskinrobbinsusaco/282121-0.html |access-date=2014-02-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140219033259/http://www.entrepreneur.com/franchises/baskinrobbinsusaco/282121-0.html |archive-date=2014-02-19|url-status = live}}</ref><ref name="Dunkin' Brands moves to Canton, Mass. from Randolph, Mass.">{{cite web |url=http://www.dunkinbrands.com/aboutus/history.html |title=History: Dunkin' Brands |last1=Duncan Brands|date=2007 |website = Duncan Brands |access-date=6 October 2023 |url-status = dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130423151925/http://dunkinbrands.com/aboutus/history.html |archive-date=23 April 2013}}</ref> with more than 7,800 locations.

The company is known for its "31 flavors" slogan, with the idea that a customer could have a different flavor every day of any month. The logo includes a stylized "31" formed from the letters "B" and "R". The slogan came from the Carson-Roberts advertising agency (which later merged into [[Ogilvy (agency)|Ogilvy & Mather]]) in 1953. The company has introduced more than 1,400 flavors since 1945,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baskinrobbins.com/en/about-us |title=About Us &#124; Baskin-Robbins |access-date=December 10, 2019|date=December 1, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Hopper |first1=Jessica |title=Deep Freeze: Baskin-Robbins Retires Five Flavors |url=https://abcnews.go.com/WN/baskin-robbins-retires-flavors-including-classic-french-vanilla/story?id=11199128 |access-date=10 December 2019 |work=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] |date=July 19, 2010}}</ref> including the addition of [[Veganism|vegan]] and non-[[dairy]] flavors in 2019.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Pomranz |first1=Mike |title=Baskin-Robbins Adds Plant-Based, Non-Dairy Flavors |magazine=[[Food & Wine]] |date=July 25, 2019 |url=https://www.foodandwine.com/news/baskin-robbins-non-dairy-ice-cream-flavors-plant-based |access-date=October 29, 2019 |archive-date=August 13, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220813064932/https://www.foodandwine.com/news/baskin-robbins-non-dairy-ice-cream-flavors-plant-based |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Cohen |first1=Howard |title=Baskin-Robbins introduces two new flavors – and don't even think to call them ice cream |url=https://www.miamiherald.com/living/food-drink/article233383112.html |access-date=October 29, 2019 |work=[[Miami Herald]] |date=August 1, 2019}}</ref>

==History==
During the 1940s in [[Southern California]], American brothers-in-law [[Burt Baskin]] and [[Irv Robbins]] each opened a series of [[ice cream]] shops.<ref name=":0">{{cite book |last=Weiss |first=Laura B |title=The Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets |date= |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |year=2015 |isbn=978-0-19-931339-6 |editor-last=Goldstein |editor-first=Darra |editor-link=Darra Goldstein |location= |pages=50–51 |chapter=Baskin-Robbins}}</ref> The pair previously had experience working with ice cream: Robbins's father owned an ice cream shop which Robbins worked in as a teenager, and Baskin had produced ice cream for fellow troops while in [[United States Navy|the Navy]] during World War II.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Our History |url=http://baskinrobbins.com/content/baskinrobbins/en/aboutus/history.html |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130115232527/http://baskinrobbins.com/content/baskinrobbins/en/aboutus/history.html |archive-date=January 15, 2013 |website=Baskin-Robbins}}</ref> American consumers at the time were very attached to the three basic ice-cream flavors of chocolate, strawberry and vanilla. This remained the case, despite the efforts of ice cream seller [[Howard Deering Johnson|Howard Johnson]].<ref name=":0" />

Robbins opened his first store, Snowbird Ice Cream, in 1945 in [[Glendale, California|Glendale]], selling 21 flavors, a novel amount. The following year, Baskin opened his first store in [[Pasadena]], Burton's Ice Cream Shop. The pair quickly opened new stores and as of 1948 they collectively had 6 stores. By 1949, this had increased to over 40.<ref name=":0" /> That year, they purchased a dairy in Burbank to attain greater control over production.<ref name=":1" />

In 1953, the approach of separate brand identities was dropped, and the entity "Baskin-Robbins 31 Ice Cream" was created under the advice of the advertising firm [[Carson/Roberts]].<ref name=":1" /> The "31" referred to the amount of flavors, an amount chosen to signify the customer could have a new flavor every day of the month. Some of these original flavors included [[Mint chocolate chip|Chocolate Mint]], Black Walnut and Coffee Candy. During expansion, the pair began franchised their stores.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> Beyond the large amount of flavors, Baskin-Robbins was unusual for a décor intended to reflect a value of fun, containing pink and brown polka dots and clowns, and small sampling spoons they introduced which has been replicated by many ice cream stores since.<ref name=":0" />[[File:Old Baskin-Robbins Logo.jpg|thumb|right|upright=.5|Original logo used from 1953 to 1980]]Between 1949 and 1962, the corporate firm was known as Huntington Ice Cream Company. The name succeeded ''The Baskin-Robbins Partnership'' and was eventually changed back to Baskin-Robbins, Inc. on November 26, 1962.{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}} Baskin-Robbins was owned by its founders until it was acquired in 1967 (just before Burt Baskin's death) by the United Fruit Company, what was is estimated to be $12 million.<ref name=":0" /> In the 1970s, the chain expanded internationally, opening stores in [[Japan]], [[Saudi Arabia]], [[South Korea]], and [[Australia]].<ref name="Baskin-Robbins Japan Celebrates the Opening of Its 1,000th Store">{{cite press release|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/baskin-robbins-japan-celebrates-the-opening-of-its-1000th-store-98317199.html|title=Baskin-Robbins Japan Celebrates the Opening of Its 1,000th Store|access-date=2014-02-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140223140321/http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/baskin-robbins-japan-celebrates-the-opening-of-its-1000th-store-98317199.html|archive-date=2014-02-23|url-status = live}}</ref>

[[File:A 1967 Baskin-Robbins store in Hillsdale, Portland, Oregon (2013).jpg|thumb|right|A 1967 Baskin-Robbins store in Portland, Oregon, with the 1991–2006 logo on August 8, 2013 (closed in mid-2014), that retained its original look, a design typical of the chain's outlets in the 1960s]]
In 1972, the company went public when United Brands sold 17% in an [[IPO]]. A year later, the British food company [[J. Lyons and Co.]] purchased Baskin-Robbins from United Brands and all public stock. J. Lyons then merged with [[Allied Breweries]], becoming Allied-Lyons in 1978. Allied-Lyons then merged with Pedro Domecq S.A. in 1994, becoming [[Allied Domecq]]. Baskin-Robbins and [[Dunkin' Donuts]] comprise [[Dunkin' Brands, Inc.]] Dunkin' Brands was part of Allied Domecq until its purchase in 2006 by a group of private equity firms{{Snd}}[[Bain Capital]], [[Thomas H. Lee Partners]], and [[The Carlyle Group]].<ref>This page, {{cite web|url=http://www.dunkinbrands.com/aboutus/history.html |title=History &#124; Dunkin' Brands |access-date=2013-03-20 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130423151925/http://dunkinbrands.com/aboutus/history.html |archive-date=2013-04-23 }}, at the Dunkin' Brands site, confirms the Baskin-Robbins founding date, the J. Lyons purchase (and date), the Allied Breweries merger (and date), and the Pedro Domecq merger (and date). Quotes: "1946: Baskin-Robbins is founded by Burt Baskins and Irv Robbins."; "1973: London-based J. Lyons & Co., Ltd., purchased Baskin-Robbins."; "1978: J. Lyons is purchased by Allied Breweries, creating Allied Lyons."; "1994: Allied Lyons partners with Pedro Domecq, the leading spirits marketer in Spain and Mexico, to form Allied Domecq."</ref>

[[File:Baskin-Robbins logo.svg|thumb|150px|Third Baskin-Robbins logo used in the U.S. from February 2006 to December 15, 2020, still in use internationally]]
In 2006, the company's "BR" logo was updated such that it doubles as the number "31" to represent the 31 flavors, with the "31" formed by the parts of the letters "BR" which are rendered in pink, in contrast to the rest of the logo which is rendered in blue.

In August 2012, Dunkin' Brands became completely independent of the private equity firms.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dunkinbrands.com/ |title=Dunkin' Brands |access-date=March 20, 2017}}</ref>

[[File:Dunkin' Donuts Baskin Robbins, Thomasville.jpg|right|thumb|[[Co-branding|Co-branded]] Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins, Thomasville, Georgia]]
Baskin-Robbins struggled in the early years of the 2000s to retain business, but opened 36 new shops between 2013 and 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/231702|title=How Baskin-Robbins Is Trying Not to Disappear|author=Kate Taylor|date=24 February 2014|work=Entrepreneur|access-date=2014-07-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714205920/http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/231702|archive-date=2014-07-14|url-status = live}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dunkin-brands-announces-2014-domestic-restaurant-growth-300018855.html|title=Dunkin' Brands Announces 2014 Domestic Restaurant Growth|author=Dunkin' Brands Group, Inc.|date=12 January 2015|access-date=2015-03-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402093020/http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dunkin-brands-announces-2014-domestic-restaurant-growth-300018855.html|archive-date=2015-04-02|url-status = live}}</ref> Many new Baskin-Robbins shops are co-branded with Dunkin' Donuts, including California's first co-branded location of the two in San Diego, which opened in March 2014.

In 2014, Baskin-Robbins also began selling its ice cream for the first time in supermarkets across the U.S.<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://news.baskinrobbins.com/Press-Releases/BASKIN-ROBBINS-PACKAGED-ICE-CREAM-AND-ICE-CREAM-BARS-NOW-AVAILABLE-IN-GROCERS-FREEZERS-ACROSS-THE-C-497.aspx|title=BASKIN-ROBBINS PACKAGED ICE CREAM AND ICE CREAM BARS NOW AVAILABLE IN GROCERS' FREEZERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY|date=May 20, 2014|access-date=2014-07-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140707024715/http://news.baskinrobbins.com/Press-Releases/BASKIN-ROBBINS-PACKAGED-ICE-CREAM-AND-ICE-CREAM-BARS-NOW-AVAILABLE-IN-GROCERS-FREEZERS-ACROSS-THE-C-497.aspx|archive-date=2014-07-07|url-status = live}}</ref> In July 2017, Baskin-Robbins started adding their locations to delivery service platform [[DoorDash]] to deliver ice cream in 22 cities across the United States.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.delish.com/food-news/news/a54164/baskin-robbins-delivery-doordash/|title=Baskin-Robbins Will Now Deliver Ice Cream Straight To Your Door|date=2017-07-07|work=Delish|access-date=2017-10-12|language=en}}</ref>

In December 2020, Dunkin' Brands was purchased by [[Inspire Brands]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-12-15|title=Inspire Brands Completes Acquisition of Dunkin' Brands|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201215005741/en/Inspire-Brands-Completes-Acquisition-of-Dunkin%E2%80%99-Brands|access-date=2020-12-15|website=www.businesswire.com|language=en}}</ref>

Baskin-Robbins debuted an updated logo, alongside the new tagline "Seize the Yay", on April 11, 2022.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://stories.inspirebrands.com/baskin-robbins-seize-the-yay-rebrand/ | title=Baskin-Robbins Aims to Inspire Everyone to "Seize the Yay" Through Rebrand and New Campaign | publisher=[[Inspire Brands]] | date=11 April 2022 | accessdate=19 April 2022}}</ref>

[[Chris Buck]] and [[Barack Obama]] are two notable former employees.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Howmann|first1=Anders|title='Frozen' treat for 50|url=http://www.ocregister.com/articles/buck-637871-dorado-frozen.html|access-date=20 March 2015|work=Orange County Register|publisher=Freedom Communications, Inc|date=10 October 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Feloni |first1=Richard |title=Barack Obama explains what he learned from scooping ice cream as a 16-year-old |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/barack-obama-lessons-from-first-job-scooping-ice-cream-2016-2 |access-date=26 August 2019 |work=Business Insider |publisher=Insider Inc. |date=26 February 2016}}</ref>

==International presence==
[[File:Baskin Robbins world map.svg|thumb|Baskin-Robbins locations around the world
{{legend|#f05097ff|Countries with current Baskin-Robbins locations}}     
{{legend|#005ea6ff|Countries with former Baskin-Robbins locations}}]]
[[File:BaskinRobbinsSmartCentresVaughan.jpg|thumb|Baskin-Robbins in Thornhill, Ontario]]
[[File:BaskinRobbins Icecream.jpg|thumb|Baskin-Robbins ice cream]]
[[File:Baskin Robbins 31 WORLD FAMOUS - a store in a cool place ' Quito Ecuador 2022.jpg|thumb|[[Quito]] [[Ecuador]] in 2022 at a Baskin-Robbins ice cream]]
As of 2017, Baskin-Robbins had more than 8,000 shop locations in Aruba, Australia, Bahrain, Bhutan, Canada, China, Colombia, Curaçao, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, Egypt, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Latvia, Malaysia, Morocco, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Tajikistan, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Yemen. International locations feature flavors of ice cream popular in each country, such as Red Bean, Litchi Gold, Blackcurrant and Cantaloupe. 
The most popular flavors of Baskin-Robbins in Asia are Mint Chocolate Chip and Cookies & Cream.<ref>{{cite web|title=Baskin Robbins International |url=https://www.baskinrobbins.com/content/baskinrobbins/en/aboutus/international.html |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170129092217/https://www.baskinrobbins.com/content/baskinrobbins/en/aboutus/international.html |archive-date=2017-01-29 }}</ref>

Baskin-Robbins has previously been present in other countries such as Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Malta, Maldives, Mauritius, Mexico, Netherlands, Panama, Philippines,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rappler.com/life-and-style/food-drinks/baskin-robbins-philippines-close-down-permanently/|title=One last scoop: Baskin-Robbins to close down permanently in PH|date=November 26, 2022}}</ref> Portugal, Russia, South Africa, and St. Maarten. 

Cambodia does not have any locations of Baskin-Robbins but their products are officially available at an [[Au Bon Pain]] bakery franchise.{{citation needed|date=April 2023}}

The standalone stores in Bangladesh were closed down, but their products are available at multiple local stores.{{citation needed|date=April 2023}}

In Japan, Taiwan, China, and the Philippines, Baskin-Robbins is known popularly as "31" or "31 ice cream".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://japaneselevelup.com/nobody-japan-knows-baskin-robbins-despite-1000-stores/ |title=Why Nobody in Japan Knows Of Baskin Robbins Despite 1000 Stores |last=Unknown |first=Adam |publisher=Japanese Level Up LLC |date=2014-08-11 |access-date=2020-05-21 }}</ref>

===Australia===
'''Baskin-Robbins Australia''' is a wholly owned and operated subsidiary of Inspire Brands, the parent company of Baskin-Robbins and [[Dunkin' Donuts|Dunkin']]. In October 2010, Dunkin' Brands terminated its license agreement with the collapsed Allied Brands Group for Baskin-Robbins in Australia, and now supports its Australian franchisees directly.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2010/10/22/264765_gold-coast-news.html|title="GoldCoast.com.au Article from October 2010"}}</ref> The Baskin-Robbins Australia Franchise Support & Training Centre is based in Brisbane.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://baskinrobbins.com.au/contact-us/|title=Contact Us|website=Baskin-Robbins® Australia|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-21}}</ref>

===Ireland===
Baskin Robbins opened in the [[Republic of Ireland]] and [[Northern Ireland]] in 2015 with a total of 8 shops.<ref>{{Cite news |last=O'Brien |first=Ciara |date=2015-08-11 |title=Baskin-Robbins is back to sweeten Irish buyers |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/business/retail-and-services/baskin-robbins-is-back-to-sweeten-irish-buyers-1.2313487 |access-date=2024-09-20 |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Griffin |first=Sam |date=2015-10-12 |title=Ice cream giant Baskin-Robbins set to open three Belfast shops |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/business/ice-cream-giant-baskin-robbins-set-to-open-three-belfast-shops/31445428.html |access-date=2024-09-20 |work=[[Belfast Telegraph]]}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[List of ice cream parlor chains]]
* [[Häagen-Dazs]]
* [[Ben & Jerry's]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Baskin-Robbins}}
* {{Official website|https://www.baskinrobbins.com/en}}
** {{URL|baskinrobbins.com.au}} Baskin Robbins Australia
** {{URL|https://www.31ice.co.jp/}} Baskin Robbins Japan (The corporate name is “B-R 31 ICE CREAM CO., LTD.“ in Japan.)
** [https://web.archive.org/web/20100324063522/http://www.baskinrobbinsme.com/ Baskin Robbins Middle East]

{{Fast-food chains of the United States}}
{{Food chains in Australia}}
{{Food chains in Japan}}
{{Food chains in South Korea}}
{{Food chains in the United Kingdom}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Baskin–Robbins family|* ]]
[[Category:1945 establishments in California]]
[[Category:2020 mergers and acquisitions]]
[[Category:Canton, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Companies based in Glendale, California]]
[[Category:Companies based in Norfolk County, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Fast-food chains of the United States]]
[[Category:Fast-food franchises]]
[[Category:Ice cream brands]]
[[Category:Ice cream parlors in the United States]]
[[Category:Ice cream parlors]]
[[Category:Inspire Brands]]
[[Category:Restaurant chains in Singapore]]
[[Category:Restaurants established in 1945]]
[[Category:Specialty food shops in Singapore]]