Major NH emergency!

[Kat Kanning]

Dunikin Donuts buyout 

2 Groups Expected to Bid for Dunkin' Donuts

By MARK JEWELL, AP Business Writer 49 minutes ago

BOSTON - Two groups of private-equity firms plan to submit bids Thursday to buy Dunkin' Donuts, the nation's biggest coffee-and-doughnut chain, from the French company that acquired it as part of a bigger deal last summer, two people familiar with the groups' plans said.
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Thursday was the deadline to submit bids to buy Dunkin' Brands Inc., which was purchased by France's Pernod Ricard SA in July as part of its $13 billion acquisition of Britain's Allied Domecq PLC.

In addition to Dunkin' Donuts, Canton, Mass.-based Dunkin' Brands owns the Baskin-Robbins and Togo's restaurant chains. The three units collectively generated $4.8 billion in global revenue last year.

Pernod Ricard spokeswoman Florence Taron said Thursday the sale of Dunkin' Brands was "in progress."

"There are some offers," she said, declining further comment.

Details about how much was being offered could not be determined. Analysts have estimated Dunkin' Brands might sell for more than $2 billion.

One bid is coming from a group that includes Boston-based Bain Capital and Thomas H. Lee Partners along with Carlyle Group of Washington, D.C., said a person familiar with the plans who asked not to be identified by name because the firm does not comment on investment deals before they are finalized.

Another person familiar with the plans said another bid was being prepared by JP Morgan Partners ? a unit of JP Morgan Chase & Co. ? and Rhode Island-based Providence Equity Partners Inc. That person also asked not to be identified by name because of a similar policy against commenting on pending deals.

A third consortium made up of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. and Trimaran Capital Partners also was considering a bid, the Daily Deal reported Wednesday. KKR spokesman David Lilly declined to comment to The Associated Press on Thursday. A phone call seeking comment from Trimaran was not immediately returned.

Pernod Ricard said when the deal for Allied Domecq closed that it expected to unload Dunkin' Brands by the end of the year because the restaurants don't fit in with Pernod Ricard's liquor business. Pernod Ricard also said it needed cash from a sale to finance its acquisition of Allied Domecq.

Industry analysts expect plenty of interest because of the Dunkin' Donuts chain's fast growth. Dunkin' Donuts' $3.4 billion in U.S. revenue last year was a 13 percent increase over the previous year ? more than double the 5.4 percent growth for the U.S. food service industry.

Recent growth at the 55-year-old franchise chain has largely come from coffee sales and an expanded beverage menu that includes espresso and iced drinks.

Dunkin' Donuts says its more than 6,000 stores worldwide in 30 countries draw more than 2.7 million customers per day. Over 4,400 of those stores are spread across 36 U.S. states. The greatest concentration is in New England, but Dunkin' is expanding westward and has a long-term goal of growing to 15,000 locations.

Internationally, there are more than 5,000 Baskin-Robbins restaurants and about 400 Togo's.

[AlanM]

Won't need Dunkin Donuts once Shorty Dawkins Coffee Shop begins. 

[John]

D.D. has gotten less than $3 from me since they were the first in the nation to go nation wide not leaving it up to each local store wether to allow smoking or not.  They have one of these places (just about) on every other corner.  Why not one for smokers on one corner, and one for non-smokers on the next?  But then, hey its up to them - and me.

If smokers had stuck together and done as I did, it would have been a shot across the bow of the anti-smoking-nazis.
When I have quit smoking for good, D.D. still won't get another $ from me.

[Lloyd Danforth]

The first Krispy Kreeme donut shop in New England in Newington, CT, that opened 3 years ago with mile long lines of cars for weeks closed the day before yesterday.

[Lloyd Danforth]

Won't need Dunkin Donuts once Shorty Dawkins Coffee Shop begins.?

The true measure of any donut shop is their plain old fashioned donut.  I suggest lots of nutmeg, and, cooking them in lard.  A wholewheat/Honey donut is also a good idea.

[Kat Kanning]

I think this company has good donuts:

http://entenmanns.gwbakeries.com/subcat.cfm/catId/27/subcatId/0

[Pat K]

I used to live not to far from the Entenmans bakery in Bayshore they had a reatil outlet at the place, I don't think they are as good as they used to be .


I was offered a job there once, but I wanted to smack the guy who was gonna be my boss during the interview so I did not think taking the job was a good idea.

[Mark]

D.D. has gotten less than $3 from me since they were the first in the nation to go nation wide not leaving it up to each local store wether to allow smoking or not.  They have one of these places (just about) on every other corner.  Why not one for smokers on one corner, and one for non-smokers on the next?  But then, hey its up to them - and me.

If smokers had stuck together and done as I did, it would have been a shot across the bow of the anti-smoking-nazis.
When I have quit smoking for good, D.D. still won't get another $ from me.

I wouldn't go into DD if they allowed smoking -- I usually go on my way to work, and don't like to smell like an ashtray. A lot of people feel that way. The fact that our Schwartz happens to be bigger than yours doesn't make us Nazis.

[Kat Kanning]

It's people who want to make it so all restaurants, bars, etc. can't have smoking who are the anti-smoking-nazis.  I would only go to places that are non-smoking, but I don't want to see it banned.

[Lloyd Danforth]

D.D. has gotten less than $3 from me since they were the first in the nation to go nation wide not leaving it up to each local store wether to allow smoking or not.? They have one of these places (just about) on every other corner.? Why not one for smokers on one corner, and one for non-smokers on the next?? But then, hey its up to them - and me.

If smokers had stuck together and done as I did, it would have been a shot across the bow of the anti-smoking-nazis.
When I have quit smoking for good, D.D. still won't get another $ from me.

I wouldn't go into DD if they allowed smoking -- I usually go on my way to work, and don't like to smell like an ashtray. A lot of people feel that way. The fact that our Schwartz happens to be bigger than yours doesn't make us Nazis.

This is such an obvious case of where the market can solve the problem.  Businesses that want to attract non-smokers can operate smoke free businesses and advertize as such.  The ones that want to attract or are willing to put up with smokers can allow smoking and advertize that they do.
This also applies to the laws forcing business to accomidate handicapped people.  The business that provide the wide aisles, wheel chair tables and handicapped restrooms will attract the business of the handicapped and their friends.

[CNHT]

This is such an obvious case of where the market can solve the problem.? Businesses that want to attract non-smokers can operate smoke free businesses and advertize as such.? The ones that want to attract or are willing to put up with smokers can allow smoking and advertize that they do.
This also applies to the laws forcing business to accomidate handicapped people.? The business that provide the wide aisles, wheel chair tables and handicapped restrooms will attract the business of the handicapped and their friends.

What about states that have outlawed all smoking in public buildings? The businesses don't have a choice I guess. You would have to repeal that law.

[Lloyd Danforth]

If you are talking about publically owned buildings, that problem can be eliminated by abolishing them.

[CNHT]

If you are talking about publically owned buildings, that problem can be eliminated by abolishing them.

I'm talking about businesses...they are included in the current law too. No smoking in 'PUBLIC'...whether it be a restaurant, supermarket, or the town hall. Smokers have to go outside.

As for eliminating the public buildings, that anudder whole balla wax.?


By the way, for the three of you who just smote me, I didn't say I AGREED with the no smoking law, I'm just telling you that this would have to be repealed first, and it's more realistic to work on that, than thinking we could abolish public buildings right away....

I am not even sure what the law is in NH about that...if restaurants can still have a smoking section or not?

[Russell Kanning]

cnht is as sensitive to smites as Kat is to cig smoke.

[CNHT]

cnht is as sensitive to smites as Kat is to cig smoke.

Well I always thought of this forum as a place to discuss things thoughtfully whether you agree or not and that smiting was reserved for people who were rude, nasty, and outright insulting.

For example, while I agree with Lloyd that all publically-owned buildings being abolished would certainly solve the problem of laws preventing smoking in any of those buildings, (and I meant the ban on smoking in ANY building, both gov't AND private business, when I said I thought there was a law like that in Mass at least, I am not sure if there is in NH) I rather work toward repealing the law itself, since I feel that sitting around fantasizing about abolishing all publically-owned (gov't) buildings is not going to help much at this point. But if that's the path someone else has chosen, bully for them.... <sigh>