CANTON, Mass. (Blue MauMau) -  In response to an article published last Friday, Stephen Caldeira, Chief Global Communications & Public Affairs Officer for Dunkin’ Brands, Inc., issued a statement saying the company will not comment on how the DDIFO conducts its affairs, because it has no official ties to Dunkin' Brands.  Blue MauMau broke the story, reporting that the independent franchisee association was restructuring its board of directors. In an interview, DDIFO president Mark Dubinsky  said they were replacing the current board with seasoned business professionals who were independent of the Dunkin' system.  

Mr. Caldeira stated: 

Dunkin' Brands and our senior leadership team communicate broadly and directly with our entire Dunkin’ Donuts franchisee system through our elected advisory councils that have been in operation for more than three decades. The franchisee advisory councils were formed to represent all of our franchisees who today number well over 1,200 operators across 34 states, including those franchisees that are currently members of the Dunkin’ Donuts Independent Franchise Owners Association (DDIFO). Therefore, we do not feel it would be appropriate to comment on how the DDIFO chooses to manage its affairs.

We recognize and respect that individuals and organizations, such as the DDIFO, that have no official ties to the Dunkin’ Brands organization or our elected franchisee advisory councils, have their own agendas, to which they are certainly  entitled. However, they do not seem to take into consideration the strength and well-being of the entire Dunkin’ Donuts organization. If we, as the franchisor, do not continue to work hand-in-hand with our elected franchisee advisory councils to keep Dunkin’ Donuts relevant and engaging to consumers, then we are not living up to our collective responsibility as brand stewards for all of our franchisees.

At Dunkin’ Brands, we share a common goal with our franchisees–our most important constituency–to strengthen our brands and increase their sales and profitability. We will continue to work closely and collaborate with our franchisees, as we have done so for the past 58 years, because we truly recognize how critical they are to our overall business success.

Related articles:

• Dunkin' Franchisee Association Makes Unique Decision in Restructuring Board 
• Dunkin' Franchisees Tell How They Really Feel
• Conflict Brewing Between Dunkin' Donuts and Franchise Owners