You Won't Be Seeing Krispy Kreme's Snacky Sweets In Grocery Stores Anymore
If there's one thing that Krispy Kreme is known for, it's doughnuts — more specifically, its glazed doughnuts. What makes Krispy Kreme's glazed doughnuts so appealing is that the chain is well-known for offering customers fresh and hot doughnuts in-store, to the point that each location boasts its own neon "hot-light" to let customers know when its glazed treats have just done baking. Nothing really says "good morning" like a warm Krispy Kreme doughnut and a cup of coffee, does it?
But Krispy Kreme, perhaps understanding that not everyone has the good fortune to come into their stores first thing in the morning to grab a doughnut, decided to branch out to the grocery store snack aisles. As a press release published by Business Wire in June 2020 reports, Krispy Kreme introduced snack-sized versions of its famous doughnuts to Walmart stores all across the country. These treats came in the form of "Mini Crullers" (bite-sized versions of the chain's glazed or blueberry crullers) and "Doughnut Bites" (doughnut holes in glazed, chocolate, and apple cinnamon varieties). While not the same as a fresh-baked Krispy Kreme doughnut, these snacks would scratch that itch for the time being.
But if Krispy Kreme doughnuts are so popular, you would think these would have become staples of the snack aisle for years to come. Why, then, is Krispy Kreme discontinuing its snacks? Ultimately, it comes down to the loss of a production facility and the launch of a new brand collaboration.
Krispy Kreme closed the facility that produces the snacks
According to Food Business News, Krispy Kreme has revealed that it plans to shut down its manufacturing facility in Concord, North Carolina, as of 2023. This particular facility is the only facility that has been producing the Mini Cruller and Doughnut Bite products, meaning that once the facility closes, there will be no more production. This, oddly enough, comes on the heels of a 2021 report that Krispy Kreme's snack industry was doing surprisingly well, and would reach profitability by 2022.
But why close down the only production plant, if such a market was so successful? Perhaps the answer lies within Krispy Kreme's newest partnership with McDonald's. Since 2022, Baking Business tells us, Krispy Kreme has been partnering with several McDonald's locations across Kentucky to debut Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Unlike the snack products, however, the doughnuts sold at these McDonald's locations are fresh, just like the ones purchased at an average Krispy Kreme location.
It would appear that Krispy Kreme has decided to end its foray into the snack aisle and instead focus on expanding its fresh doughnuts to different locations and partners. While this is unfortunate news for fans of the Krispy Kreme treats, the idea that one may soon be able to buy Krispy Kreme doughnuts at their local McDonald's could be a small comfort. Current testing on the McDonald's-Krispy Kreme collaboration seems to indicate a successful partnership so far.