History of Krispy Kreme in Timeline

Krispy Kreme is an American multinational doughnut and coffeehouse company founded in 1937 by Vernon Rudolph in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Initially selling to local grocery stores, Krispy Kreme experienced steady growth before a period of ambitious expansion as a public company from 2000 to 2016, which ultimately proved unprofitable. In 2016, the company returned to private ownership under JAB Holding Company, but became publicly traded again in July 2021. The name is a deliberate misspelling of "crispy cream" used for marketing purposes.

1931: Albert Reimann Sr. Donates to the SS

In 1931, Albert Reimann Sr., donated to the SS, two years before Hitler became Chancellor of Germany.

1933: Vernon Rudolph began working for his uncle

In 1933, eighteen-year-old Vernon Rudolph began working for his uncle, Ishmael Armstrong, at a general store in Paducah, Kentucky, that sold doughnuts.

1934: Moved to Nashville and opened doughnut company

In 1934, Vernon and Ishmael moved to Nashville, Tennessee, and opened "The Krispy Kreme Doughnut Company."

1937: Krispy Kreme Founded

In 1937, Vernon Rudolph founded Krispy Kreme in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, buying a yeast-raised recipe and selling to local grocery stores.

1937: Rudolph opened his own store in Winston-Salem

In 1937, Vernon Rudolph opened his own Krispy Kreme store in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, selling doughnuts to convenience stores and individual customers.

1939: First bakery outside the South opened

In 1939, The first Krispy Kreme bakery outside the South opened in Akron, Ohio.

1955: Krispy Kreme Offers Fundraising Kits

In 1955, Krispy Kreme began offering fundraising kits to organizations. This allowed groups to sell boxes of doughnuts and split the proceeds with Krispy Kreme to raise funds for various causes.

1976: Became a subsidiary of Beatrice Foods

In 1976, Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corporation became a wholly owned subsidiary of Beatrice Foods of Chicago, Illinois.

1982: Purchased back from Beatrice Foods

In 1982, a group of franchisees purchased Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corporation back from Beatrice Foods.

April 5, 2000: Went Public on NASDAQ

On April 5, 2000, Krispy Kreme went public on the NASDAQ at $21 using the ticker symbol KREM.

2000: Expansion as Public Company

Krispy Kreme began an ambitious expansion as a public company in the period 2000 to 2016.

May 17, 2001: Switched to New York Stock Exchange

On May 17, 2001, Krispy Kreme switched to the New York Stock Exchange, using the ticker symbol KKD.

December 2001: Opened First International Store

In December 2001, Krispy Kreme opened its first store outside the US in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.

August 2003: Stock Reached All-Time High

In August 2003, Krispy Kreme's stock reached an all-time high of $50 on the New York Stock Exchange.

2003: Revenues and Profits

For the 2003-04 fiscal year, the parent enjoyed a 15 percent increase in second-quarter revenues.

2003: KKM&D Earned Significant Profits

In 2003, Krispy Kreme Manufacturing and Distribution (KKM&D) earned $152.7 million, which made up 31 percent of sales.

February 2004: Reported Sales and Profits

For the fiscal year ending in February 2004, Krispy Kreme reported sales of $665.6 million and operating profits of $94.7 million.

May 2004: Missed Quarterly Estimates

In May 2004, Krispy Kreme missed quarterly estimates for the first time and suffered its first loss as a public company. The CEO blamed the low-carbohydrate diet craze.

December 16, 2004: First Store Opened in South Korea

On December 16, 2004, Krispy Kreme opened its first store in South Korea.

August 2005: Report blamed executives for accounting scandals

In August 2005, a report singled out then-CEO Livengood and then-COO John W. Tate to blame for accounting scandals.

December 2005: Turnaround Plan Initiated

In December 2005, Krispy Kreme's turnaround plan aimed to close unprofitable stores to avoid bankruptcy.

2006: Krispy Kreme Begins Television and Radio Advertisements

In 2006, Krispy Kreme began television and radio advertisements. This marked a shift from primarily relying on informal advertising, such as word-of-mouth.

February 19, 2007: Krispy Kreme Introduces Whole Wheat Glazed Doughnut

On February 19, 2007, Krispy Kreme introduced the Whole Wheat Glazed doughnut with the goal of appealing to health-conscious consumers. The doughnut contained nearly the same number of calories as the original glazed doughnut, but it featured more fiber.

January 2008: Krispy Kreme Reduces Trans Fat Content

In January 2008, Krispy Kreme reduced the trans fat content of all its doughnuts to 0.5 grams or less and Krispy Kreme advertised their doughnuts as "trans fat-free" and having "0 grams trans fat!"

March 4, 2009: SEC issued cease and desist order

On March 4, 2009, the SEC issued a cease and desist order against Krispy Kreme for inflating revenues and illicit activities, reducing net income over two years by over $10.5 million.

July 1, 2010: Krispy Kreme Introduces Cheerwine Doughnut

On July 1, 2010, Krispy Kreme introduced a doughnut infused with the soft drink Cheerwine, available in grocery stores in North and South Carolina throughout July. Due to its popularity, the Salisbury, North Carolina location also sold it, and after July 31, it became the only place to get them.

2010: Krispy Kreme Express testing

In 2010, Krispy Kreme Express, a delivery service for businesses, began testing at the Battleground Avenue location in Greensboro, North Carolina.

June 2011: Harrods store closed

In June 2011, the Krispy Kreme store in Harrods department store in London closed.

July 2011: Cheerwine Kreme Doughnut Returns

In July 2011, the Cheerwine Kreme doughnut was brought back to Krispy Kreme stores and made its debut in Tennessee and Roanoke, Virginia.

August 2011: Planned Expansion in Japan and Mexico

In August 2011, Krispy Kreme's Japan operation planned to increase stores from 21 to 94, and its Mexico operation announced an increase from 58 to 128 in five years.

2012: Expansion Plans in the United Kingdom

In 2012, Krispy Kreme continued its expansion in the United Kingdom with plans and funding in place to open further stores.

January 19, 2013: Opened First Store in India

On January 19, 2013, Krispy Kreme opened its first store in India, in Bangalore, Karnataka.

September 25, 2013: Announced Opening of Stores in Colombia

On September 25, 2013, Krispy Kreme announced the opening of 25 stores within 5 years in Colombia, marking the company's first venture into South America.

December 12, 2013: Opened First Store in Taipei, Taiwan

On December 12, 2013, Krispy Kreme opened its first store in Taipei, Taiwan.

July 23, 2014: Launched First Shop in Chennai, India

On July 23, 2014, Krispy Kreme launched its first shop in Chennai, India, at Express Avenue mall.

October 2014: Opened Store in Colombia

In October 2014, Krispy Kreme opened another store in Colombia in Bogotá and Chía, Cundinamarca.

December 16, 2014: Celebrated 100th Store Opening in South Korea

On December 16, 2014, Krispy Kreme celebrated their 100th store opening in South Korea.

2014: Krispy Kreme Releases $1,685 Doughnut for Charity

In 2014, Krispy Kreme released a doughnut priced at $1,685 to raise funds for The Children's Trust. The doughnut was adorned with 24-karat gold and edible diamonds, and it was filled with Dom Pérignon champagne jelly.

February 2015: Krispy Kreme Klub Wednesday Controversy

In February 2015, a Krispy Kreme branch in Kingston upon Hull, England, advertised "Krispy Kreme Klub Wednesday" as "KKK Wednesday" on Facebook. It was promptly cancelled, and all marketing materials were removed after it was realized that the abbreviation was the same as that of the Ku Klux Klan, an American white supremacist terrorist group.

February 24, 2015: Opened 1,000th shop

On February 24, 2015, Krispy Kreme opened its 1,000th shop, in Kansas City, Kansas.

May 18, 2015: Signed Agreement to Open Shops in South Africa

On May 18, 2015, Krispy Kreme announced it had signed a development agreement with KK Doughnuts SA (Pty) Ltd., to open 31 Krispy Kreme shops in South Africa over the next five years, marking the company's first venture into Africa.

September 10, 2015: Signed Agreement to Open Shops in Peru

On September 10, 2015, Krispy Kreme signed a development agreement with Agape Coral, SAC to open 24 shops over the next five years in Peru.

November 25, 2015: Opened First Store in Rosebank, Johannesburg

On November 25, 2015, Krispy Kreme opened its first store in Rosebank, Johannesburg, South Africa.

December 2, 2015: Opened Largest Store in the UK

On December 2, 2015, Krispy Kreme opened its largest store in the United Kingdom in Glasgow, Scotland.

May 5, 2016: Krispy Kreme Opens First Store in Bangladesh

On May 5, 2016, Krispy Kreme opened its inaugural store in Bangladesh, located in Banani, Dhaka.

May 2016: JAB Holding Company Offered to Purchase

In May 2016, JAB Holding Company announced an offer to purchase Krispy Kreme for $1.35 billion.

July 27, 2016: Transaction closed

On July 27, 2016, the transaction of JAB Holding Company purchasing Krispy Kreme was closed.

September 2016: Most Stores in Asia-Pacific Region

As of September 2016, Krispy Kreme held the most stores in the Asia-Pacific region with 129 stores.

November 5, 2016: Krispy Kreme Opens First Store in Iceland

On November 5, 2016, Krispy Kreme expanded its presence by opening its first store in Kópavogur, Iceland.

2016: Returned to Private Ownership

In 2016, Krispy Kreme returned to private ownership under JAB Holding Company.

January 12, 2017: Krispy Kreme Opens First Store in Panama

On January 12, 2017, Krispy Kreme celebrated the opening of its first store in Panama City, Panama.

May 25, 2017: Krispy Kreme Doughnut Flavored Jelly Belly Announced

On May 25, 2017, Krispy Kreme doughnut-flavored Jelly Belly jelly beans were announced to the public.

December 2017: Moved Corporate Headquarters

In December 2017, Krispy Kreme moved its corporate headquarters to Charlotte, North Carolina.

January 27, 2018: Krispy Kreme Opens First Store in Guatemala

On January 27, 2018, Krispy Kreme marked its entry into Guatemala with the opening of its first store in Guatemala City.

February 28, 2018: Krispy Kreme Opens First Store in New Zealand

On February 28, 2018, Krispy Kreme opened its first store in Manukau, Auckland, New Zealand.

March 10, 2018: Krispy Kreme Opens First Store in Nigeria

On March 10, 2018, Krispy Kreme opened its first store in Ikeja City Mall, Lagos, Nigeria.

September 26, 2018: Krispy Kreme Opens First Store in Dublin, Ireland

On September 26, 2018, Krispy Kreme's first store opened in Dublin, Ireland, and it later became the most profitable store worldwide.

2018: Number of stand alone stores in UK

As of 2018, there are over 100 stand alone Krispy Kreme stores in the UK, and a presence in 500 Tesco stores.

2018: Acquired Insomnia Cookies

In 2018, Krispy Kreme acquired bakery chain Insomnia Cookies at a $175mm enterprise value.

August 5, 2019: Krispy Kreme Releases Reese's Branded Doughnuts

On August 5, 2019, Krispy Kreme released two new Reese's-branded "chocolate lovers" and "peanut butter lovers" doughnuts to the public.

2019: Reimann Family Admits to Profiting from Forced Labor

In 2019, the Reimann family, who own a controlling stake in Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, admitted that they profited from forced labor during World War II. The family business was run by Albert Reimann Sr. and Albert Reimann Jr. during the 1930s and 1940s.

July 2020: Krispy Kreme Launches Candy-Coated Doughnuts

In July 2020, Krispy Kreme introduced a range of candy-coated doughnuts, featuring Nerds, Jelly Belly jelly beans, sour gummies, and marshmallows.

August 25, 2020: Launched First Vending Machine

On August 25, 2020, the first Krispy Kreme vending machine was launched in North Carolina, featuring 3-packs of doughnuts.

September 2020: Krispy Kreme Introduces Pumpkin Spice Doughnut Collection

In September 2020, Krispy Kreme introduced a seasonal Pumpkin Spice Doughnut Collection, which included four distinct flavors: Pumpkin Spice Original Glazed Doughnut, Pumpkin Spice Cake Doughnut, Pumpkin Spice Original Filled Cheesecake Doughnut, and Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Roll Doughnut.

January 2021: Krispy Kreme UK Launches Original Glazed Vegan Doughnut

During Veganuary in January 2021, Krispy Kreme UK introduced its Original Glazed vegan doughnut.

March 2021: Krispy Kreme Offers Free Doughnuts for Vaccinated Customers

In March 2021, Krispy Kreme announced that they would be offering a free Original Glazed doughnut every day (except Thanksgiving Day & Christmas Day) for the rest of that year to customers in the US who could prove they had received a COVID-19 vaccine. This move was criticized by multiple physicians due to health concerns.

May 2021: Filed for Initial Public Offering

In May 2021, Krispy Kreme confidentially filed for an initial public offering to once again go public.

July 1, 2021: Company Went Public Again

On July 1, 2021, Krispy Kreme went public again on the Nasdaq under the name Krispy Kreme Inc.

July 2021: Became Publicly Traded Again

In July 2021, Krispy Kreme became publicly traded again on the Nasdaq.

December 2021: Krispy Kreme UK Launches More Vegan Doughnut Flavors

In December 2021, Krispy Kreme UK expanded its vegan options by launching three additional doughnut flavors: Fudge Brownie Bliss, Caramel Choc Delight, and Apple Custard Crumble.

May 13, 2023: Krispy Kreme Opens First Store in Costa Rica

On May 13, 2023, Krispy Kreme opened its first store in Costa Rica.

December 2023: Krispy Kreme Expands to France

In December 2023, Krispy Kreme expanded its operations to France, opening its first store in Paris. The menu was also tweaked to cater to French customers and the Paris store is expected to produce approximately 45,000 doughnuts per day.

March 26, 2024: Announced Partnership with McDonald's

On March 26, 2024, Krispy Kreme and McDonald's announced a partnership where Krispy Kreme doughnuts would be gradually rolled out to all McDonald's locations nationwide.

August 9, 2024: Krispy Kreme Opens First Store in Morocco

On August 9, 2024, Krispy Kreme opened its first store in Morocco.

2024: Krispy Kreme Introduces Dolly Parton Inspired Doughnuts

In 2024, Krispy Kreme released the Dolly Southern Sweets Doughnuts Collection, which featured four new flavors available for a limited time: Dolly Dazzler, Peachy Keen Cobbler, Banana Puddin' Pie, and Chocolate Creme Pie. These flavors, inspired by Dolly Parton, marked the company's first celebrity-inspired flavors.