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Bangkok Thailand

Krispy Kreme arrives in Bangkok

krispy_kreme.jpg

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)

Categories
Misc.

Krispy Kreme: coming to Thailand

Some food news that will be of interest to Thailand-based gluttons lovers of calorically dense American snackfoods: Krispy Kreme doughnuts are coming to the Kingdom.

AP: “Krispy Kreme expanding into Thailand

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corp. said Thursday it has reached a deal to expand into Thailand with 20 new franchise locations over the next 5 years.

Reuters has the press release: “Krispy Kreme Awards Franchise Development Rights for Thailand

The official Krispy Kreme site is here. There’s more on Wikipedia here.

There are currently Krispy Kreme stores in South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Indonesia. No word yet on when the first Thailand store is due to open.

Question: How will Krispy Kreme do in Thailand, which has many Dunkin’ Donuts and Mister Donut shops? For the history of Krispy Kreme in New England — Dunkin’ Donuts territory — see this Boston Globe story.