Dunkin’ to get new drinks whirring

Dunkin’ Donuts said it would install a new generation of blenders in all its units to produce a line of smoothies and frozen blended drinks.

It did not reveal how much the equipment and installation would cost. The retrofit will begin this month, starting in the Northeast, with a target of offering the drinks chainwide by Dec. 31, the franchisor said.

The new drinks have a healthful twist, according to Dunkin’. It noted in making the announcement Tuesday that the smoothies will be blended with strawberries, bananas and other fruits, and will each contain less than 260 calories per 16-ounce serving.

Coolatta Lites, another new line, consists of lower-calorie versions of Dunkin’s current Coolatta frozen drinks. The chain said the light versions will pack 30 percent to 80 percent fewer calories than the Coolattas contain.

The new blenders will enable Dunkin’ to offer a blended version of its Dunkacinno mocha-coffee drink.

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