Hot on the heels of Krispy Kreme’s 81st birthday celebration in July, the American doughnut franchise is preparing to open its first outlet in Myanmar.

The now-famous doughnut enterprise was founded eight decades ago after Kentucky businessman Vernon Rudolph acquired a ‘secret’ recipe from a French chef in New Orleans. Mr Rudolph started baking his doughnuts in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in 1937 and ten years later, while steadily selling franchises in the meantime, set up the Krispy Kreme Corporation, making himself president and CEO.

Since then the company has established more than 300 shops across the United States and expanded to almost 1,400 globally. In 2016 the Express Food Group saw Cambodia become the 27th country in the world to get a Krispy Kreme franchise, with the first of ten planned shops opening in Phnom Penh. There is currently three in Phnom Penh.

Krispy Kreme first  revealed plans for Myanmar in August 2015 with the signing of a franchise agreement with Singapore’s Doughnut Group Pte. Limited, under which it committed to opening ten outlets nationwide.

“Myanmar is an up-and-coming market with a large population of people who are eager to start getting a taste of iconic brands such as Krispy Kreme,” said Doughnut Group owner Pote Narittakurn.

Soon after Myanmar began opening up to foreign investment in 2012 a Japanese food court operated by a foreign company quickly followed, with the first of several Kentucky Fried Chicken franchises opening in 2015.

Starbucks is the next franchise whose iconic symbol is expected on the Myanmar franchise scene, the company announcing in May this year that it had received approval to open 20 branches over nine months.

Meanwhile, Yangon’s first Krispy Kreme is scheduled to open its doors on September 16 on the first floor of the Times Link Mall in Bahan Township Yangon.

Where Krispy Kreme Myanmar will fall on out Krispy Kreme Asean Price Index is not yet known, but there is plenty of room for manoeuvring.

Despite each 200 calorie standard glazed doughnut being made from the same ingredients, the price of a Krispy Kreme doughnut varies widely across the region.

Krispy Kreme Asean Price Index

Doughnuts have been a favourite snack in the United States since the 1800s. Generations of American police have reportedly survived their entire careers on nothing more than coffee and doughnuts, while today they are a common inexpensive ‘comfort food’ inducement/ reward for people working early/ late, or on their private time.

In 1918 the first Friday of June became ‘National Doughnut Day’, traditionally celebrated through the guilt-free eating of uncountable varieties and quantities of the sweet round pastries, with the guilt free indulgence by some continuing through until the following years’ celebration.

Feature photo Krispy Kreme doughnuts 

Related:

• The first Krispy Kreme shop to open in Myanmar in September (Eleven Myanmar)
• People are going nuts for Krispy Kreme’s Nutella-filled glazed doughnuts  (Coconuts Singapore)
• First Krispy Kreme customer in Myanmar to receive year’s supply of donuts (Coconuts Yangon)