Krispy Kreme fans will soon have more places to satisfy their sweet cravings, as the donut chain plans to bring its iconic treats to grocery stores, including Costco, and to thousands of McDonald’s locations.
Known for its classic Original Glazed donuts, Krispy Kreme has built a strong following with its soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture and signature glaze. The brand also delights customers with seasonal flavors and creative toppings.
As part of its expansion strategy, Krispy Kreme aims to make its donuts available at more retailers and food outlets. In an announcement during the company’s third-quarter earnings call, Krispy Kreme CEO Josh Charlesworth revealed plans to introduce the donuts to McDonald’s restaurants across the United States.
“We now expect to bring Krispy Kreme’s melt-in-your-mouth donuts to nearly 2,000 McDonald’s locations by the end of 2024,” Charlesworth said. The initiative began in Chicago last month, where fresh donuts have been delivered daily to over 400 McDonald’s locations from Krispy Kreme’s production hubs. The rollout will extend to Ohio and Indiana this week, with over 1,000 additional McDonald’s restaurants in Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia set to join by the end of November.
“We’re off to a strong start on our journey to have Krispy Kreme donuts in more than 12,000 McDonald’s by the end of 2026,” he added.
Expanding Grocery Reach
In addition to McDonald’s, Krispy Kreme is making moves to increase its presence in grocery stores. The chain already has nearly 16,000 points of access across 40 countries, but it aims to expand to 35,000 locations in about 50 countries within three years. This includes increasing the number of stores receiving daily deliveries of fresh donuts.
Krispy Kreme’s “Delivered Fresh Daily” program has seen success, with over 150 new Target stores receiving fresh donuts in the third quarter. The brand has also expanded deliveries to Walmart and Kroger locations, and now Costco will be added to the list.
Following successful trials in several international markets, Krispy Kreme began testing daily deliveries to select Costco locations in Southern California.
Innovative Flavors and Seasonal Offerings
Known for both its classic favorites and inventive new flavors, Krispy Kreme continues to push the envelope. The company recently launched a new Thanksgiving Collection featuring four fresh flavors. Additionally, the brand’s collaboration with Barbie brought four special donut options to stores earlier this year.
With its continued growth in grocery and quick-service restaurants, Krispy Kreme is positioning itself to reach even more donut lovers around the world.
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