Baskin-Robbins facts for kids
Logo used in the U.S. and Canada since 2022
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| Subsidiary | |
| Industry | Food and Beverage Franchising Restaurants |
| Founded | 1945 (as Snowbird Ice Cream) Glendale, California, U.S. |
| Founders | |
| Headquarters | Canton, Massachusetts, U.S. |
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Number of locations
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7,800+ (2024) |
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Area served
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United States (incl. Puerto Rico), Aruba, Australia, Bahrain, Bhutan, Canada, China, Colombia, Curaçao, 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 |
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Key people
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| Products |
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| Parent | Inspire Brands |
Baskin-Robbins is an American chain of ice cream and cake shops that has stores all over the world. It is owned by a larger company called Inspire Brands. Baskin-Robbins was started in 1945 by two brothers-in-law, Burt Baskin and Irv Robbins, in Glendale, California. Today, its main office is in Canton, Massachusetts, which it shares with Dunkin' Donuts. It is the world's biggest chain of ice cream specialty stores, with more than 7,800 shops.
The company is famous for its "31 flavors" slogan. The idea was that a customer could try a different flavor every day of the month. The company's logo even has a hidden "31" in the letters "B" and "R". This slogan was created in 1953. Since it started, Baskin-Robbins has created over 1,400 flavors. In 2019, they also started offering vegan and non-dairy options for people who don't eat animal products.
Contents
The Story of Baskin-Robbins
The story of Baskin-Robbins begins with two brothers-in-law, Burt Baskin and Irv Robbins. Both men loved ice cream and decided to open their own shops in Southern California in the 1940s.
Early Shops and New Ideas
Irv Robbins's father owned an ice cream shop, so Irv grew up working there. During World War II, Burt Baskin made ice cream for his fellow soldiers in the Navy. After the war, most people still preferred simple flavors like chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry.
In 1945, Robbins opened his first store, called Snowbird Ice Cream, in Glendale, California. He offered 21 different flavors, which was a very new idea at the time. The next year, Baskin opened Burton's Ice Cream Shop in Pasadena. The two men were very successful. By 1948, they had six stores between them. Just one year later, they had over 40 stores. To make sure their ice cream was always high quality, they bought their own dairy in Burbank.
Creating the "31 Flavors" Brand
In 1953, Baskin and Robbins decided to join their shops under one name. An advertising company suggested "Baskin-Robbins 31 Ice Cream." The number "31" was chosen to show that customers could enjoy a new flavor every day of the month. Some of the first 31 flavors were Chocolate Mint, Black Walnut, and Coffee Candy.
Baskin-Robbins stores were also different because they were designed to be fun. They used bright pink and brown polka dots and introduced tiny pink spoons so customers could sample flavors before buying. This idea of free samples is now used by many ice cream shops. To grow their business, they began to franchise their stores. This means they allowed other people to open Baskin-Robbins shops using their name and recipes.
Changes in Ownership
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For many years, the company was known as Huntington Ice Cream Company. In 1962, the name was officially changed back to Baskin-Robbins, Inc. The founders owned the company until 1967, when it was bought by the United Fruit Company for about $12 million. In the 1970s, Baskin-Robbins started opening stores in other countries, including Japan, Saudi Arabia, and Australia.
Over the years, Baskin-Robbins was bought and sold by several large companies. In 1973, it was purchased by the British food company J. Lyons and Co.. Later, it became part of a group called Allied Domecq. Today, Baskin-Robbins and Dunkin' Donuts are both part of a company called Dunkin' Brands, Inc., which was bought by Inspire Brands in 2020.
Modern Baskin-Robbins
In 2006, the company updated its logo. The new design cleverly used the letters "BR" to also show the number "31" in pink. This was a fun nod to their famous slogan.
In the early 2000s, the company worked hard to attract new customers. Many new Baskin-Robbins shops are now combined with Dunkin' Donuts stores. This allows customers to get coffee and donuts along with their ice cream.
In 2014, Baskin-Robbins began selling its ice cream in U.S. supermarkets for the first time. In 2017, they also started working with the delivery service DoorDash, so people could get ice cream delivered to their homes. On April 11, 2022, Baskin-Robbins revealed a new logo and a new tagline: "Seize the Yay."
Two famous people who once worked at Baskin-Robbins are movie director Chris Buck and former U.S. President Barack Obama.
Baskin-Robbins Around the World
Baskin-Robbins is a global brand with thousands of shops in many countries. International stores often sell special ice cream flavors that are popular in that country. For example, you might find flavors like Red Bean, Litchi Gold, or Blackcurrant. In Asia, two of the most popular flavors are Mint Chocolate Chip and Cookies & Cream.
In some countries like Japan and Taiwan, Baskin-Robbins is simply known as "31" or "31 Ice Cream."
Australia
Baskin-Robbins in Australia is run directly by Inspire Brands, the main parent company. The support and training center for all Australian stores is located in Brisbane.
Ireland
Baskin-Robbins opened its first shops in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland in 2015. There are now 8 stores across the island.
See also
In Spanish: Baskin-Robbins para niños
Images for kids
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A Baskin-Robbins store in Thornhill, Ontario, Canada.
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A scoop of Baskin-Robbins ice cream.
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A Baskin-Robbins store in Quito, Ecuador, in 2022.
