A QSR powerhouse that’s seen an impressive rebirth in the 2020s is officially re-entering a market they left eight years ago with ambitious growth goals.
Foodtastic, one of Canada’s leading restaurant franchise groups, announced Tuesday that they have signed a master franchise agreement granting them exclusive rights to develop the Dunkin’ brand of quick service restaurants in Canada.
Dunkin’ is currently the largest coffee and donuts brand in the United States, with a global network of more than 14,000 restaurants spread throughout approximately 40 global markets. Tuesday’s agreement will see hundreds of corporate-owned and franchise Dunkin’ locations opening across Canada in the next few years.
“Dunkin’s international footprint continues to thrive, so we are excited to bring this iconic brand to Canada through a strong, like-minded partner,” said Michael Haley, President of International at Inspire Brands, the parent company of Dunkin’. “Foodtastic has a proven track record of successfully growing leading restaurant brands, already established with their early progress growing Jimmy John’s. We value the shared commitment, operational expertise, and long-term vision they bring to this partnership.”
A generation ago, Dunkin’ had a strong presence in greater Montreal and the province of Quebec, but the brand officially ceased doing business in Canada in 2018, around the same name they shed “Donuts” from their company name. This master franchise agreement will bring their iconic white and pink cups back to Canada, leveraging Foodtastic’s deep understanding of the restaurant business across different Canadian markets and provinces.
“Bringing Dunkin’ back to Canada is a significant growth opportunity for Foodtastic and our franchise partners across the country,” said Peter Mammas, Foodtastic Founder and CEO. “This agreement demonstrates the strength of our relationship with Inspire Brands and the confidence we have built together through our work with Jimmy John’s in Canada. We are committed to growing the Dunkin’ brand thoughtfully to meet the needs of Canadian guests and communities.”
The specific locations and launch dates for the new restaurants under this agreement have yet to be announced, but Foodtastic and Dunkin’ have set a rough timeline of late 2026 or early 2027 for their first opening.
Foodtastic is Inspire Brands’ official Canadian growth partner for global restaurant brands and manages a portfolio of 27 brands with more than 1,000 individual locations across Canada. In addition to Dunkin’ and Jimmy John’s, they manage QSR names like Rotisseries Benny, Pita Pit, and Quesada.
To learn more about franchising with Dunkin’, visit https://www.franchising.inspirebrands.com/dunkin.
