Cinnabon
American baked goods store chain From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cinnabon, Inc., is an American chain of baked goods stores and kiosks, normally found in areas with high pedestrian traffic such as malls, airports and rest stops. The company's signature item is the cinnamon roll. As of December 2017, there are more than 1,200 Cinnabon bakeries operating in 48 countries.[1] Its headquarters are in Sandy Springs, Georgia, United States.[2][3]
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![]() Cinnabon mall bakery location in Moscow, Russia (2019) | |
Company type | Subsidiary |
---|---|
Industry | Restaurants Franchising |
Founded | 1985Federal Way, Washington | in
Headquarters | , United States |
Key people | Tracey Young (Chief Brand Officer) |
Products | Cinnamon rolls Coffee Churros Milkshakes |
Parent | AFC Enterprises (1998–2004) GoTo Foods (2004–present) |
Website | www |
The company is co-owned—with Schlotzsky's, Carvel, Moe's Southwest Grill, McAlister's Deli, Jamba, and Auntie Anne's brands—by GoTo Foods (formerly Focus Brands), an affiliate of private equity firm Roark Capital Group,[4] based in Sandy Springs, Georgia, operating over 5,000 stores.
History
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Perspective

The idea for Cinnabon emerged in 1985 after Rich Komen, majority owner of Restaurants Unlimited, observed the commercial success of T.J. Cinnamons, a bakery based in Kansas City, Missouri, that specialized in cinnamon rolls. T.J. Cinnamon's popularity prompted Komen to explore the possibility of franchising the concept on the West Coast. Komen attempted to negotiate franchising rights for T.J. Cinnamon's but was unable to secure an agreement granting exclusive rights for the region. He then explored a partnership with Mrs. Powell's, a bakery in Idaho Falls, Idaho, also known for its cinnamon rolls, but this effort too failed to result in a franchise agreement.[5][6]
Having already secured a lease for a retail space in SeaTac Mall in Federal Way, Washington, Komen and Ray Lindstrom, the then Restaurants Unlimited CEO, proceeded to develop an original bakery concept. To create their signature product, they collaborated with Jerilyn Brusseau, a baker from Seattle, who was tasked with developing a cinnamon roll recipe. The first Cinnabon bakery opened on December 4, 1985, in SeaTac Mall, now called The Commons at Federal Way.[5][6][7] Cinnabon's original business strategy emphasized a specialized focus on its signature product, cinnamon rolls, which were prominently branded as "World Famous Cinnamon Rolls" and became central to the company's brand identity.[5][6]
Cinnabon's first franchise-operated store opened in August 1986 just outside of Philadelphia at the King of Prussia Mall. Cinnabon stores today can also be found in gas stations, universities, rapid transit stations, casinos, and amusement parks.[citation needed]
Cinnabon was bought by AFC Enterprises, Inc. in 1998 for $65 million.[8] In 2004, AFC Enterprises, Inc., sold Cinnabon for $30.3 million to Focus Brands, Inc., which is owned by the Atlanta-based private equity firm Roark Capital Group.[9][10] The headquarters moved to Greater Atlanta in 1999.[2] In November 2020, British retail group EG Group announced a partnership with Cinnabon to open 150 branded stores in the UK over five years.[11][12] In May 2024, the UK partnership would then be transferred to EG On the Move.[13]
On October 8, 2018, Cinnabon partnered with Pizza Hut to release mini cinnamon rolls labeled "Cinnabon Mini Rolls" in Pizza Hut (also known as MiniBons outside of Pizza Hut). These cinnamon rolls continue to be available at Pizza Hut.[14] In 2020, Pizza Hut brought back the Triple Treat Box, containing two medium one-topping pizzas, five breadsticks, and ten Cinnabon Mini Rolls.
International locations
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Current locations
Cinnabon has franchise operations in 50 countries and places which include:
- Armenia
- Australia[15]
- Azerbaijan
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Belarus
- Bolivia
- Cambodia
- Canada
- China
- Chile
- Colombia[16]
- Costa Rica
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic[17]
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- Georgia
- Greece
- Guatemala
- Guyana
- Honduras
- Hong Kong[18]
- India
- Indonesia
- Israel[19]
- Iraq[20]
- Japan
- Jordan[21]
- Kenya
- Kuwait[22]
- Libya (Cinnabon is noted for being the first U.S. franchise to open in Libya after the ouster of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.[23])
- Malaysia
- Malta[24]
- Mexico
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Panama
- Peru
- Philippines
- Qatar
- Russia
- Saudi Arabia
- Singapore[25]
- South Africa
- South Korea[26]
- Spain
- Thailand
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Turkey
- Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom (Partnership with EG On the Move)
- United States (including Puerto Rico and Guam)
- Venezuela
Former locations
- Austria
- Brunei
- Brazil (A store was set up in São Paulo in 2009, which soon closed in 2011.)
- El Salvador
- Finland (One outlet opened in March 2015, but it was closed in March 2016)
- Israel (Closed in August 2016)
- Jamaica
- Latvia
- Lebanon (Closed in 2020)
- Morocco
- Paraguay
- Poland (Closed in March 2021)
- Romania (Closed in 2018)
- Sweden (Closed in November 2020)
- Syria
Other Cinnabon locations
- Cinnabon (sīnābūn) in Saudi Arabia
- Cinnabon at Governor's Square Mall, Clarksville, Tennessee
- Cinnabon store in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- A Cinnabon store (right) at the Angola Travel Plaza on the New York Thruway, Angola, New York
- A Cinnabon store at West Valley Mall in Tracy, California
- Cinnabon at the Stoa Korai Arcade Mall in Athens, Greece
- Cinnabon in the Philippines
- Cinnabon location at The Oaks Mall in Gainesville, Florida
In popular culture
- Cinnabon makes a brief appearance in the 2007 animated film Bee Movie.
- Cinnabon is featured often in the book series Animorphs.
- In Better Call Saul, Saul Goodman is seen working at a Cinnabon using a new identity.[27]
- The restaurant and its president, Kat Cole, were featured in a 2012 episode of Undercover Boss.[28]
- In episode Halloween IV of Brooklyn 99, Captain Raymond Holt refers to it as “See-nay-bone”.[29]
See also
References
External links
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