Krispy Kreme facts for kids
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Krispy Kreme in Cannington, Western Australia
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Trade name
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Krispy Kreme |
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| Public | |
| Traded as |
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| Industry | Restaurant |
| Founded | July 13, 1937 |
| Founder | Vernon Rudolph |
| Headquarters | Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S. |
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Number of locations
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1,400 |
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Area served
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Worldwide |
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| Revenue |  US$1.627 billion (2023) |
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Operating income
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US$-8.725 million (2024) |
| US$3.095 million (2024) |
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| Total assets | US$3.072 billion (2024) |
| Total equity | US$1.164 billion (2024) |
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Number of employees
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21,000 (December 29, 2024) |
Krispy Kreme, Inc. is a famous American company. It is known for its delicious doughnuts and coffee. The company was started by Vernon Rudolph in 1937. He bought a special doughnut recipe from a chef in New Orleans. Then, he opened his first shop in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. At first, he mostly sold doughnuts to local grocery stores.
Krispy Kreme grew a lot over the years. It became a public company, meaning its shares could be bought and sold by anyone. Later, it became a private company again. In 2021, Krispy Kreme became a public company once more. The name "Krispy Kreme" is a fun, different way to spell "crispy cream." This spelling was chosen to help with marketing.
Contents
The Story of Krispy Kreme
How it Started
In 1933, Vernon Rudolph was eighteen years old. He started working for his uncle, Ishmael Armstrong. His uncle owned a small store in Paducah, Kentucky. This store sold many things, including very popular doughnuts. The special doughnut recipe might have come from a cook named Joseph LeBeouf. He was known for his light and fluffy doughnuts.
During the Great Depression, the store had a tough time. In 1934, Vernon and his uncle moved to Nashville, Tennessee. They hoped to do better there. They opened "The Krispy Kreme Doughnut Company." The shop did very well. Vernon's father even moved to Nashville to help. In 1937, Vernon Rudolph opened his own store. He chose Winston-Salem, North Carolina, for the new location. He liked that his favorite cigarette company was there. Rudolph mostly sold doughnuts to other stores. But people also came to buy hot doughnuts fresh from the oven. This happened late at night, between midnight and 4 a.m. The first Krispy Kreme bakery outside the South opened in Akron, Ohio, in 1939.
Growing Bigger
Krispy Kreme started to grow in the 1950s. By the 1960s, it was well-known in the southeastern United States. It then began to open stores in other areas. In 1982, a group of people who owned Krispy Kreme stores bought the company back.
The company expanded quickly again in the 1990s. They opened stores outside the Southeast. In 2001, Krispy Kreme opened its first store outside the U.S. in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. Opening a Krispy Kreme store can cost a lot of money.
Becoming a Public Company and Challenges
On April 5, 2000, Krispy Kreme became a public company. This meant people could buy shares of the company on the stock market. Its stock price went up a lot at first. By 2004, the company faced some challenges. Some people thought the company grew too fast. This meant there were too many stores in some areas. Also, Krispy Kreme started selling its doughnuts in supermarkets and gas stations. This made the special doughnuts less unique.
In 2016, a company called JAB Holding Company bought Krispy Kreme. This made Krispy Kreme a private company again. In December 2017, Krispy Kreme moved its main office to Charlotte, North Carolina. However, many of its operations stayed in Winston-Salem.
In the early 2010s, Krispy Kreme started building shops with special ovens. These ovens allow them to make hot doughnuts all day long. On February 24, 2015, Krispy Kreme opened its 1,000th shop in Kansas City, Kansas.
In 2018, Krispy Kreme bought a bakery chain called Insomnia Cookies. This company still runs on its own. In 2020, Krispy Kreme launched its first vending machine in North Carolina. It sells packs of doughnuts 24 hours a day.
By 2023, Krispy Kreme had its doughnuts sold in 14,000 different places. These include convenience stores and grocery stores.
Going Public Again
In May 2021, Krispy Kreme decided to become a public company once more. It officially went public on July 1, 2021.
In March 2024, Krispy Kreme and McDonald's announced a big partnership. Krispy Kreme doughnuts will be sold in all McDonald's restaurants across the country by the end of 2026. This plan started after a successful test in Kentucky.
In 2024, Krispy Kreme sold most of its share in Insomnia Cookies.
Around the World
The first Krispy Kreme store outside North America opened in Penrith, Australia. The second international store opened in London, United Kingdom. As of 2018, there are over 100 Krispy Kreme stores in the UK. You can also find their doughnuts in many Tesco stores there.
Krispy Kreme has stores in many countries around the world. These include Egypt, France, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, and many more.
In August 2011, Krispy Kreme's Japan operations planned to greatly increase their number of stores. Their Mexican operations also planned to open many more stores. In South Korea, Krispy Kreme opened its first store in 2004. Ten years later, in 2014, they opened their 100th store there.
Krispy Kreme opened its first store in India in 2013. In 2013, they also announced plans to open 25 stores in Colombia. This was the first South American country for the company. In 2015, Krispy Kreme opened its first store in South Africa. This was the company's first time in Africa. In 2016, Krispy Kreme opened its first store in Kópavogur, Iceland.
In 2018, Krispy Kreme opened its first stores in Guatemala City, Guatemala, and Manukau, Auckland, New Zealand. They also opened a store in Ikeja City Mall, Lagos, Nigeria. In September 2018, Krispy Kreme opened its first store in Dublin, Ireland. This store has become the most successful Krispy Kreme store worldwide.
In May 2023, Krispy Kreme opened its first store in Costa Rica. In December 2023, it expanded to France with its first Paris store. This store was expected to make 45,000 doughnuts every day. The menu was even changed a bit for French customers.
In August 2024, Krispy Kreme opened its first store in Morocco. In April 2025, Krispy Kreme opened its first store in Brazil.
Yummy Products
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In 2007, Krispy Kreme started selling a Whole Wheat Glazed doughnut. This was to offer a slightly healthier option. By 2008, the amount of trans fat in all Krispy Kreme doughnuts was very low. This allowed them to say their doughnuts had "0 grams trans fat!" on the nutrition label.
In 2010, Krispy Kreme introduced a doughnut made with the soft drink Cheerwine. These doughnuts were very popular. In 2017, Krispy Kreme doughnut-flavored Jelly Belly jelly beans were announced.
In 2019, Krispy Kreme released two new doughnuts inspired by Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. In 2020, they launched candy-coated doughnuts with Nerds, Jelly Belly jelly beans, and marshmallows.
Krispy Kreme also offers seasonal doughnuts. In September 2020, they had a Pumpkin Spice Doughnut Collection. It included flavors like Pumpkin Spice Original Glazed and Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Roll.
In January 2021, Krispy Kreme UK launched its Original Glazed vegan doughnut. Later that year, they added more vegan flavors. In 2024, Krispy Kreme released the Dolly Southern Sweets Doughnuts Collection. These flavors were inspired by singer Dolly Parton.
Fun Promotions
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Krispy Kreme often uses word-of-mouth advertising. But in 2006, they started using TV and radio ads. They had a "Share the Love" campaign with heart-shaped doughnuts. Since 1955, the company has offered fundraising kits. Organizations can sell boxes of doughnuts to raise money for different causes.
In 2014, Krispy Kreme made a very expensive doughnut. It cost $1,685! This special doughnut was covered with 24-karat gold. It also had edible diamonds. The inside was made from fancy champagne jelly. This was part of a fundraising effort for The Children's Trust.
See also
In Spanish: Krispy Kreme para niños
- List of doughnut shops
- List of coffeehouse chains
