“Dunkin’ Donuts” chain to go by “Dunkin’” only

Matthew Egger, copy editor

The large coffee and baked goods chain Dunkin’ Donuts has announced it will change its name to just “Dunkin’”, indicating its intent on shifting its focus from donuts to beverages. While the chain is most popular on the east coast, Dunkin’ currently has three locations in Minnesota and has announced the construction of several new ones, including one in Richfield.

One of the main reasons for the brand change is that the demand for coffee has grown faster than that of donuts; Dunkin’ reported that in 2015, it sold an additional 360 million cups of coffee from 2014. Additionally, consumers are becoming increasingly health conscious, a trend that has hurt the donut sales. While donuts will still be sold at Dunkin’ locations, the company cut 10 items from its food menu earlier this year. “Dunkin is a shorter, simpler, more modern version of who we’ve always been,” said Tony Weisman, the CEO of Dunkin’ in an interview conducted by Business Insider. A test store has been successfully operating since August 2017 under the Dunkin’ rebrand in Pasadena, California.

Dunkin’ announced that its locations’ names will change in January 2019. The rebranded franchises will have a drink bar serving cold pressed teas and coffees in response to the growing demand for cold drinks such as nitro cold brewed coffee. Additionally, Dunkin’ will begin taking mobile orders, a strategy already used by other coffee chains such as Starbucks.

While many aspects of Dunkin’ will remain, many of the company’s fans took to social media to express their disappointment in its decision to change the name that has been used for 68 years since Dunkin’s beginnings in Quincy, Massachusetts.