When Vernon Rudolph first set himself up, Krispy Kreme was a wholesale doughnut factory that sold only to grocery stores. So many people asked, in fact, that Vernon built a window so they could buy the hot treats straight off the street. The doughnut shop expanded into a chain in the s and s with family-owned franchises opening across the Carolinas. By the late s, there were Krispy Kreme stores in 12 states , all with the same factory-retail layout which allowed visitors to see the hot doughnuts being handmade in the back and displayed the delicious doughnuts in a glass case at the front.
Believe it or not, Krispy Kreme once sold pizza. Though customers loved Krispy Kreme doughnuts, each of the mostly family-owned stores were producing slightly different doughnuts despite following the same recipe. To solve the problem of consistency, Vernon built a central plant that distributed a dry ingredients mix to all of the stores and installed identical doughnut making machines inside each store.
This conveyor belt contraption was called the Ring King and an updated version of it is still used by stores today. To make the signature Original Glazed doughnuts, the yeast dough goes through an air-pressurised machine which shapes it into perfectly-puffed rings. Once cooked, the doughnuts travel through a waterfall of warm sugar glaze to ensure an absolutely even finish. Now check out the legendary fast food brands we wish would make a comeback.
From start to finish the doughnut-making process takes approximately one hour. That includes 33 minutes of preparation and frying, plus 25 minutes of icing and cooling.
While the Original Glazed doughnuts are a job mostly done by machine, the jelly and iced doughnuts need to be filled and decorated by hand. For a bake sale like no other, Krispy Kreme supplies bulk orders of doughnuts for people raising money for a worthy cause. Set up in , its fundraising arm has assisted countless schools, sports teams, churches, charities and community organisations to "raise some dough".
Ever wondered what the Krispy Kreme logo is meant to be? The iconic design is referred to as the bowtie and has never been changed. The distinctive green-tile-roof stores only came into play in the s as the chain continued to expand. It was at this time that the famed brand's heritage road signs also appeared. Fast food brands everyone loved the decade you were born.
Though it still has a family-run feel to it, Krispy Kreme is no longer family-owned. Not long after, however, a group of early franchisees bought it back.
From the s on, they focused on improving and automating the doughnut making process. During the s, Krispy Kreme enjoyed steady growth throughout the southeast United States and began expanding outside of its traditional roots.
The design of Krispy Kreme stores became consistent including the hallmark green tile roofs and heritage road signs. Vernon Rudolph, our founder, died in , and growth slowed as the company was reorganized for sale to Beatrice Foods Company in In , a small group of our early franchisees bought Krispy Kreme back from Beatrice Foods.
A renewed focus on the hot doughnut experience became a priority for the company. Soon afterward, in , the first store in California opened and national expansion was well underway. In April , Krispy Kreme held an initial public offering of common stock. Discover Membership. Editions Quartz. More from Quartz About Quartz. Follow Quartz. These are some of our most ambitious editorial projects. Published July 28, Last updated on July 29, Enrich your perspective.
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