The Financial Times: Krispy Kreme opens on a high in Bangkok:
As western corporations scratch their heads to work out how to make the most of Asia’s growth, it is sometimes worth remembering the tried and tested, like the combination of an established brand, lashings of sugar and a pinch of hype.
Krispy Kreme Doughnuts opened its first Bangkok franchise shop last week, and every day the crowds are still queuing around the block to get their hands on the saccharine treat. On Tuesday the longest wait was five and a half hours, which is better than the 27-hour marathon put in by hard-core doughnut fans on opening day.
Related: Dwight Turner’s blog post: “The Best of Bangkok’s Krispy Kreme Grand Opening Twitter Buzz.”
See also, for background info: my post from Oct. 2009: “Krispy Kreme: Coming to Thailand.”
Humorous tweet from @BKKApologist that reflects my feelings, having discovered Krispy Kreme at a shop in Charleston, South Carolina, as a 14-year-old:
I grew up an hour away from Krispy Kreme HQ in North Carolina. I can tell you where “donut mania” leads: a wardrobe full of sweatpants.
(Emphasis mine.)
(FT item via @jonrussell)
i feel krispy kremes are a very 90 degrees product
Hi, YTSL. Seems like all is going well for Krispy Kreme here in Bangkok. There are still lines for the shop, I understand. Why do you think it failed in Hong Kong?
I wonder how Krispy Kreme will fare in Thailand. Sadly, for people like me, the chain failed to make enough fans in Hong Kong — and lasted only two years here.