As Baskin-Robbins continues to expand its footprint across Canada, the brand is also sprucing up a number of its locations throughout the country.
Part of Inspire Brands since 2020, Baskin-Robbins expects to open another 50 locations across Canada by 2030.
Natalie Joseph, Senior Manager, International Field Marketing for Baskin-Robbins Canada, said more stores will be opening in the Greater Toronto Area, Vancouver and Ottawa.
“Definitely lots of growth happening,” she said.
Currently, the brand has 115 locations across Canada.
“For 2024, we’re on target to open seven locations, brand new stores. But what I think the really big story is as well we’re developing and growing but we’re also committed to remodeling every single store in our system and the remodels have started,” she said.
“We’re doing it in phases. We started Q1 and we have a commitment of remodelling 25 locations by the end of Q2 and then we will pick up the remodel again in the November window. Obviously we’re not going to close our stores during the peak season. We’re on target to remodel 50 of our 100 locations that are required to remodel.
“You’re just going to see an overall change in our brand expression and our new brand expression is actually called the Moments design and you’ll see that in our new stores as well as the remodeled stores.”
Recently it announced two franchisees have combined their efforts and have a plan to open 10 new stores in the Ottawa region over the next five years.
“Baskin-Robbins has a large franchisee base. We’re really interested in franchisees who want to grow in multiple numbers, not just grow one or two shops,” said Joseph.
“So with the Ottawa market, here we had two established franchisees who wanted to join their concerted efforts and expand in that market. And there’s room to grow. Ottawa is a big space. We were pretty scattered out . . . There’s definitely lots of room for expansion. So when these franchisees came to us with a plan, we thought they were great franchisees, they’re approved for growth and expansion, and it was just the right fit.”
Expansions have also been announced in Vancouver and Calgary.
“We have a franchisee who is committed to opening 15 locations in and around the Vancouver area as well as the Calgary market,” said Joseph. “So it’s one particular franchisee who is building his Baskin empire.
“They’re looking at between six and 10 (locations) in Calgary.”
Joseph said locations are required to refresh, remodel, redesign every 10 years.
“Back in 2013, we put a lot of investment behind the entire system and we remodeled all stores all at the same time and here we are 10 years later having to remodel again only we are doing so with a whole new brand expression which originated out of the U.S.,” she said.
“In the U.S., they started to change the logo, the look and feel, the experience overall and of course that’s what we’re adapting.
“We have incorporated digital menu boards in all of our stores. That was the first phase of our remodels even before the stores needed to shut down and take on this new look. Last year we rolled out digital menu boards across all systems so it’s pretty impactful. It’s no longer the menu boards with the stickers for the pricing. It’s all animated. We do full menu board takeovers. It’s really colourful, impactful and it speaks to the consumer. Other changes that they’ll see are aesthetic changes. The tiles in the back and on the floor. The ceilings are no longer going to be white. They’re going to be a different colour. The logo is a big piece of it. We’ve gone from our traditional Baskin-Robbins logo which was blue and pink to now a pink and brown. The whole design of the shop is definitely a fresher look, a newer take. There’s lots of chrome and stainless steel. It’s definitely noticeable as soon as you walk in from a current store to a remodeled store or a brand new store.”
Baskin-Robbins was founded in 1945 by two ice cream enthusiasts who shared a dream to create an innovative ice cream shop that would be a neighbourhood gathering place for families. Celebrating 52 years in Canada earlier this year, Baskin-Robbins operates 115 locations in Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, and British Columbia. Each year, more than 300 million people around the world visit Baskin-Robbins.
