Dunkin’ Donuts this week announced it will be expanding its stores into Southern California. The restaurant’s goal is to have more than 15,000 Dunkin’ Donuts locations throughout the U.S.

Multi-unit franchisees are now being recruited throughout the Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego, San Bernardino, Ventura, and Orange counties. New Dunkin’ Donuts locations are expected to open in the area starting in 2015. The company is also looking to sell donuts and coffee in universities, casinos, military bases, supermarkets, airports, and travel centers.

“This past year was an exciting one for Dunkin’ Donuts’ growth in the United States, and we are delighted to begin 2013 with the long-awaited announcement that Dunkin’ Donuts will be opening restaurants in California, where there is already incredible passion for our brand,” said Nigel Travis, CEO of Dunkin’ Brands and president of Dunkin’ Donuts U.S. “Expansion to California has always been part of our plan to grow Dunkin’ Donuts’ presence in the U.S. We have maintained our disciplined approach to expand steadily while focusing on initiatives to improve restaurant economics and franchisee profitability. These initiatives include our recent agreement with our franchisee-owned and operated distribution and procurement facility, which ensures the same cost of goods to franchisees in both established and new markets by 2015.”

Dunkin’ Donuts also announced that it opened 291 new locations in the U.S. during 2012. It has plans to open 330 to 360 new locations in the U.S. in 2013, and not just in Southern California.

“In addition to California, we believe we have incredible domestic growth opportunities for Dunkin’ Donuts, both east and west of the Mississippi. On a global basis, we remain committed to our long-term development goal, which calls for us to accelerate to approximately a 5 percent net new annual development rate for Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins combined,” said Travis.