Krispy Kreme has been satisfying your sweet tooth cravings for more than 80 years, and
never fails to hit the spot.
Whether it's an extra-tasty breakfast or a late night treat, is there really ever a bad
time for one of those glazed pieces of heaven?
The doughnut recipe may be top secret, but here are a bunch of fun facts you may not
know about Krispy Kreme.
Secret potatoes
Krispy Kreme has kept their iconic Original Glazed doughnut recipe a secret for more than
80 years, but the company's website has given a few clues as to what those secret ingredients
may be.
Krispy Kreme's founder, Vernon Rudolph, bought the recipe from a French chef in New Orleans
in 1937, then took it to North Carolina where he opened the first store.
Decades later, Rudolph's son attempted to track down the original recipe, and according
to Duke University's The Chronicle, he ultimately discovered:
"[It consisted of] a cream of fluffed egg whites, mashed potatoes, sugar, shortening
and skim milk that was chilled and mixed with flour and then fried and covered in glaze."
Since Rudolph would have been making hundreds of doughnuts from a recipe meant to make just
a few dozen, his son guessed that this would have been only a starting point the proportions
would need to be altered.
The world may never know, but if Krispy Kreme doughnuts are full of mashed potatoes, that
might explain why they're so darn good.
Driving with glaze
When you hear "DUI" you probably think drugs or alcohol are the culprit, but what about
Krispy Kreme doughnuts?
In 2015, a man named Daniel Rushing was pulled over for what he thought would be a routine
traffic stop.
According to NPR, things took a turn for the worse when the officer asked him about some
white crystals that had been found on the floorboards, which had field-tested positive
for methamphetamine.
Rushing explained it was glaze from a Krispy Kreme donut, but the officers didn't believe
him.
"You are under arrest."
And he was taken to jail.
This is when Rushing realized he had a good lawsuit on his hands.
Eventually, the charges were dropped and the offending Krispy Kreme dust earned Rushing
a $37,500 settlement.
Krispy Kreme, the rapper
Heads up to any amateur rappers: If you've decided to name yourself Krispy Kreme, and
one of your videos is so utterly ridiculous that it goes viral, you need to start worrying
about trademark infringement.
In 2012, Tyler Cassidy AKA Krispy Kreme found himself in hot water when media coverage of
his video, "The Baddest" alerted the real Krispy Kreme to his use of their name.
The doughnut company contacted Cassidy's father and told them to find Krispy Kreme a new name
stat.
"I have to make an announcement video.
Because I have to change my rap name."
Cassidy ultimately decided on the name "Froggy Fresh."
Started with the smell
When Vernon Rudolph started making doughnuts in 1937, they were only sold to grocery stores
for resale there was no proper storefront.
But according to the Krispy Kreme website, passersby were so tantalized by the aroma
of the fried doughnuts that they would stop at the facility to buy them right there.
In a genius business move, Rudolph decided to cut a hole in the outside wall of the building
and began selling hot doughnuts directly to customers on the street, thus creating the
first Krispy Kreme retail location.
Name change?
Apparently, the name Krispy Kreme is a pronunciation conundrum for UK customers some think it's
Krispy "krem" and in 2017, the company announced they would be making a change to their name.
"Cream?
Kreme?
We're divided people.
And as CEO of Krispy Kreme I cannot allow it."
They would instead be known as Krispy Cream.
"So, my British peeps…go forth, say it loud, say it proud, but most of all say it right."
But wait… this announcement came on March 30th just a few days before April 1st.
Ultimately, the company announced that it was, in fact, a prank.
A spokesperson told Mirror Online,
"The idea behind the story was to draw attention to the confusion around pronunciation and
spelling of the brand in a humorous, irreverent way."
Wasted doughnuts
If it saddens you to think of even a single Krispy Kreme going to waste, prepare to be
heartbroken.
In 2016, a customer at a UK location was shocked to see about 50 bags of doughnuts piled behind
the shop, all destined for the trash.
He told BBC News,
"I've done some quick maths and I reckon there were about 15,000 doughnuts being wasted there."
"Noooo!"
So why don't they donate the day-old doughnuts?
In a general statement on their website addressing waste, the company said,
"Krispy Kreme doughnuts are an occasional indulgent treat and, as such, do not have
the nutritional values adequate to be a meal replacement.
Therefore, we have concerns about giving doughnuts to people in need of proper nourishment."
Makes you think twice about your several-doughnut-a-day habit, doesn't it?
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