Cinnabon, an AFC Enterprise company, announced December 17 that it will sell its 500 millionth cinnamon roll during the holiday season. The exact day of the sale is unknown, but officials expect the transaction to occur in December when the cinnamon roll retailerÕs sales triple.

The company, whose locations are primarily in malls and airports, will celebrate the occasion the last week before Christmas by delivering Cinnabons to the Santa in their mall.

ÒIt took 15 years for Cinnabon to sell its 500 millionth, but we plan to sell the billionth Cinnabon within five years,Ó said Gregg Kaplan, Cinnabon president. ÒIn 1999, we opened on average one bakery per week, but in 2000 weÕll open two per week.Ó

AFC Enterprises acquired the brand in October 1998 and began an aggressive expansion program of both company-owned and franchise operated location. During AFCÕs first year of ownership, the company signed agreements to build 351 bakeries worldwide in 84 domestic and 267 international locations. Recent international agreements expand the brand to nine countries worldwide.