Is Baskin-Robbins publicly traded?

No. Its parent, Inspire Brands, is privately held by Roark Capital. Baskin-Robbins was last part of a public company when Dunkin' Brands traded on the Nasdaq before the 2020 buyout.

When was Baskin-Robbins founded?

The chain traces to 1945, when Irv Robbins opened Snowbird Ice Cream in Glendale, California. He merged with brother-in-law Burt Baskin's Pasadena shop in 1953, reportedly settling the name order with a coin flip.

Why is it called 31 flavors?

The slogan means a different flavor for every day of the month. It was introduced by a 1950s advertising agency and became the brand's signature, even as the flavor library grew to more than 1,400 recipes.

How many Baskin-Robbins locations are there?

The chain operates more than 7,800 shops in roughly 40 markets worldwide, with about 2,200 in the United States. Nearly all are independently owned franchises.

Food Service & Restaurants

Who Owns Baskin-Robbins?

Q: Who owns Baskin-Robbins?

Baskin-Robbins is owned by Inspire Brands, a private restaurant company controlled by Roark Capital Group. Inspire acquired it in December 2020 as part of the $11.3 billion purchase of Dunkin' Brands.

Q: Does Baskin-Robbins have a parent company besides Inspire?

The direct parent is Inspire Brands. Inspire itself is owned by Roark Capital Group, an Atlanta-based private equity firm that specializes in franchise businesses.

Baskin-Robbins is owned by Inspire Brands, a privately held restaurant company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Inspire acquired the chain in December 2020 as part of its $11.3 billion purchase of Dunkin' Brands. Founded in 1945 in California, Baskin-Robbins is the world's largest ice cream specialty chain, with more than 7,800 franchised shops across roughly 40 markets.

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Parent Company

Inspire Brands

Acquired

2020

Status

Private

Headquarters

Canton, Massachusetts, USA

Baskin-Robbins Timeline

1945

Baskin-Robbins

Founded by Burt Baskin, Irv Robbins

Founded

2020

Acquired by Inspire Brands

Inspire Brands acquired Baskin-Robbins

Acquired

budgetmass marketGlobalOfficial Website

Who Owns Baskin-Robbins?

Parent Company: Inspire Brands
Ownership Type: Wholly owned
Acquisition Year: 2020
Company Type: Privately Held

Brand	Parent Company	Ownership Type
Baskin-Robbins	Inspire Brands	Wholly owned

History of Baskin-Robbins

Founded: 1945
Founders: Burt Baskin, Irv Robbins
Acquired by Inspire Brands: 2020

Baskin-Robbins began as two separate ice cream shops run by brothers-in-law in post-war California. Irv Robbins, who had grown up working in his father's Tacoma ice cream business, opened Snowbird Ice Cream in Glendale in December 1945. Burt Baskin, a Navy veteran who had run an ice cream shop for troops in the Pacific, opened Burton's Ice Cream Shop in Pasadena in 1946.

The two merged their operations in 1953 and reportedly flipped a coin to decide whose name came first. The combined company pioneered franchising in the ice cream business, selling shops to independent operators while keeping control of flavors and standards. The "31 flavors" idea, a different flavor for every day of the month, came from a 1950s advertising agency and became one of the most durable marketing concepts in food history.

Growth through the 1960s and 1970s made Baskin-Robbins the dominant U.S. ice cream chain, and expansion followed into Japan in 1973 and the Middle East, where the brand built an unusually large presence. Corporate ownership shifted over the decades: the founders sold to United Fruit in 1967, which later became part of Allied Domecq, a British food and drinks conglomerate.

In 1990, Allied grouped Baskin-Robbins with Dunkin' Donuts under Allied Domecq Quick Service Restaurants, establishing the pairing that persists today. When Allied Domecq was broken up in 2006, private equity buyers Bain Capital, Carlyle Group, and THL Partners acquired the business as Dunkin' Brands, which went public in 2011.

Inspire Brands took the company private in December 2020. Under Inspire, Baskin-Robbins unveiled a full brand refresh in 2022: a new logo with the "31" hidden in the "BR" monogram, new packaging, and the tagline "Seize the Yay," its first major visual overhaul in decades. The brand continues to rotate limited-time flavors from a library of more than 1,400 recipes and has expanded ice cream cake and delivery channels.

About Inspire Brands

What does Inspire Brands own?
Inspire Brands owns six restaurant brands: Arby's, Dunkin', Baskin-Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, Sonic Drive-In, and Jimmy John's. The company operates over 33,000 restaurants across these brands, making it the second-largest restaurant company in the United States by system-wide sales.

Is Inspire Brands publicly traded?
No, Inspire Brands is not publicly traded. The company is privately held and owned by Roark Capital Group, an Atlanta-based private equity firm. Roark Capital manages approximately $38 billion in assets and specializes in consumer brands and franchise businesses.

Who founded Inspire Brands?
Inspire Brands was founded in 2018 by Roark Capital Group, which merged Arby's Restaurant Group with Buffalo Wild Wings to create the company. Paul Brown, who had been CEO of Arby's, became CEO of the new combined entity.

Where is Inspire Brands headquartered?
Inspire Brands is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. The company's corporate offices are in Atlanta, though individual brands maintain their own operational headquarters in different cities across the United States.

How many brands does Inspire Brands own?
Inspire Brands owns six restaurant brands: Arby's, Dunkin', Baskin-Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, Sonic Drive-In, and Jimmy John's.

Who owns Inspire Brands?
Inspire Brands is owned by Roark Capital Group, a private equity firm based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Wendy's Company previously held a minority stake but sold its remaining shares in 2023 for approximately $450 million.

What is Inspire Brands' revenue?
Inspire Brands reported approximately $32.6 billion in system-wide sales in 2024. This figure represents total sales at all 33,000+ restaurant locations, not company revenue. The company's actual revenue from franchise fees and royalties is not publicly disclosed because it is privately held.

Does Inspire Brands own Wendy's?
No, Inspire Brands does not own Wendy's. The Wendy's Company previously held a minority stake in Inspire Brands (initially 18.5%, later reduced to 12.3%), but sold its remaining shares in 2023. Wendy's operates as an independent publicly traded company (NASDAQ: WEN).

Is Inspire Brands buying Subway?
Roark Capital, Inspire Brands' parent company, announced an agreement to acquire Subway for approximately $9.5 billion in August 2023. As of 2026, the deal had not been completed due to Federal Trade Commission regulatory review for potential antitrust concerns.

Founded: 2018
Headquarters: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Company Type: Privately Held
Revenue: approximately $32.6 billion (system-wide sales, 2024)
Employees: 650,000+

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Where Is Baskin-Robbins Made / Based?

Headquarters: Canton, Massachusetts, USA
Manufacturing / Operations: United States

Baskin-Robbins Categories & Tags

Ice Cream Dessert Franchise Quick Service 31 Flavors

Baskin-Robbins Recalls & Controversies

Franchise Economics: Like many fully franchised chains, Baskin-Robbins has seen franchisee complaints over required remodels, supply costs, and thin unit economics in lower-volume U.S. markets. The brand's U.S. shop count has slowly declined over the past decade as underperforming locations close.

Product Recalls: The brand has had occasional limited product recalls over its history, including undeclared allergen issues on specific products handled through FDA and company channels. None has been large or sustained.

Nutrition Criticism: Ice cream chains face routine scrutiny from public health groups over sugar and calorie content, and Baskin-Robbins items periodically appear in worst-of nutrition lists. The company discloses nutritional information and offers smaller sizes and lighter options but has not faced regulatory action.

Baskin-Robbins Ownership: Pros & Cons

Advantages

+Inspire's shared services reduce supply chain and technology costs per unit
+Pairing with Dunkin' creates co-branded locations and shared foot traffic
+Roark Capital's deep restaurant portfolio brings operational expertise
+Global brand recognition and 80 years of flavor heritage are difficult to replicate

Considerations

-Nearly fully franchised model limits corporate control over store experience
-Private equity ownership prioritizes cash flow and could mean a future sale
-U.S. dessert market is crowded, with premium and novel competitors growing faster
-Aging store base in some markets requires franchisee investment many resist

Frequently Asked Questions About Baskin-Robbins

Sources & Further Reading

Competitors to Baskin-Robbins

These competing brands operate in the same categories and provide similar products or services. Compare key attributes to understand market positioning and competitive landscape.

Brand	Parent Company	Country	Founded	Market Position	Primary Market	Gender Target
Cold Stone Creamery	Mty Food Group	USA	1988	Premium	United states	All Genders
Ben & Jerry's	The Magnum Ice Cream Company	USA	1978	Premium	Global	All-ages
Carl's Jr	Cke Restaurants	USA	1941	Mass market	United states	All Genders
Chick-fil-A	Chick Fil A	USA	1946	Mass market	United states	All Genders
Cornetto	Unilever	Netherlands	1959	Mass market	United kingdom	All Genders
Dairy Queen	Berkshire Hathaway	USA	1940	Mass market	United states	All-ages