Dunkin’ Donuts has always sold a lot of bagels — in addition to, well, doughnuts. But about a year ago it decided it wanted to sell a lot more. It’s not as easy as you think. Green bagels on St. Patrick’s Day? Add 15% more poppy seeds? A Dancing With the Stars tribute bagel? You get the picture. The job fell to the Dunkin’ Brands Culinary Innovation Team. The crew’s bakery specialists experimented with more than just flavor, trying new forms to make something that topped even the traditional bagel in portability. They tested everything from a pretzel shape to a baguette shape. They worked to perfect their toppings, in one instance toning down the jalapeño flavor. Ten months later the Bagel Twist made its national debut in varieties like cheddar cheese and French toast.

The launch was just one of about 20 that the 18-member team led by executive chef Stan Frankenthaler sends to market every year for Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins brands. (Dunkin’ Brands is owned by private equity firms Bain Capital, Carlyle Group, and Thomas H. Lee Partners.) From its kitchen at headquarters in Canton, Mass., the squad not only builds on its strong coffee culture and playbook of more than 1,000 doughnut varieties, but also brings the 60-year-old chain into new food frontiers in the constant quest to boost revenues and profit margins.

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