Inspire Brands Inc.
Inspire Brands Inc. — formerly known as Arby’s Restaurant Group — is a holding company and franchisor majority owned by private equity firm Roark Capital Group. Inspire Brands owns quick-service sandwich chain Arby’s, casual dining sports bar brand Buffalo Wild Wings, quick-service drive-thru brand Sonic Drive-In, quick-service sandwich chain Jimmy John’s, quick-service taco brand Rusty Taco, and most recently — Massachusetts-based coffee and doughnut chain Dunkin’ and ice cream and cake brand Baskin-Robbins, along with their affiliate, quick-service doughnut and coffee company Mister Donut.
The Atlanta-based Inspire Brands was formed in 2018 when Arby’s Restaurant Group bought Buffalo Wild Wings, which in turn owned Rusty Taco. Later in 2018, Inspire Brands bought Sonic Drive-In for $2.3 billion, and announced their acquisition of Jimmy John’s in October 2019. Inspire Brands completed its most recent acquisition of the Dunkin’ and Baskin-Robbins brands in December 2020. The $11.3 billion deal was one of the largest in restaurant industry history and made Inspire Brands the second-largest foodservice in the U.S. by locations and sales, with nearly 32,000 restaurants in 60 countries globally, with $26 billion in sales.
Inspire Brands has become an aggressive competitor in the restaurant industry since forming three years ago, with each of its brands addressing different demographics and segments. With the acquisition of Dunkin’, Inspire Brands entered the competitive breakfast daypart. Most recently, Inspire Brands appears to be investing in ghost kitchens, according to a permit filed by the company in February 2021.
Key Data: Inspire Brands
Headquarters: Atlanta
Segment: Quick Service, Casual Dining
Restaurant Segment: LSR Sandwich/Deli, FSR Sports Bar, LSR Burger, LSR Coffee/Bakery, LSR Dessert/Snack
Number of US locations: 21,756 (excluding Rusty Taco and Mister Donut)
2020 Sales: $23.5 billion (excluding Rusty Taco and Mister Donut)
Source: Datassential Firefly 500
CEO: Paul Brown
