Krispy Kreme opens doors tomorrow
Popular American doughnut brand Krispy Kreme is set to open its doors to Bangladeshi customers tomorrow, as yet another international chain enters the capital's culinary scene.
“We are privileged and ecstatic to be joining hands with such a world renowned and iconic brand as Krispy,” said Salman Obaidul Karim, managing director of Orion Group, the local franchisee of Krispy Kreme, at a press briefing yesterday.
Karim is hopeful that Krispy Kreme with its fresh, glazed, yeast-raised doughnuts will take off in a big way in the country as Bangladeshis have a major sweet tooth.
“In Bangladesh, one of the major entertainment options is eating out and we hope Krispy Kreme finds a place in people's hearts here. We aspire to become a household name soon.”
Orion, which has also brought in Fish & Co, a Singapore-based chain to Bangladesh, plans to open at least 20 Krispy Kreme stores in the country over the next five years.
“We are looking forward to many years of successful partnership with Orion Group,” said Steve Avery, senior director of Krispy Kreme International.
Located on Banani 11, the store has been designed with historical references to the 78-year old North Carolina-based company.
Customers can watch the entire doughnut making process at the state-of-art kitchen dubbed the 'Doughtnut Theatre' through a glass partition as they enter the store, which is spread across 5,000 square feet and two stories.
As of now, the store will serve Krispy Kreme's signature Original Glazed doughnuts along with 15 other varieties and coffee-based beverages.
About 85 percent of the ingredients and the packaging would be imported to give the Bangladeshi customers as authentic a Krispy Kreme experience as possible, Karim said.
The Original Glazed doughnut will cost Tk 99 each and Tk 800 a dozen. The other varieties are priced at Tk 120 per piece and Tk 1,080 for 12.
“We are thrilled to share the joy that is Krispy Kreme with Bangladesh and expect to become an integral part of Bangladesh's culture,” said Dan Beem, president of Krispy Kreme International, in a statement.
In the lead-up to the inauguration of the flagship store in Bangladesh, Krispy Kreme dropped off 10,000 dozens of its signature doughnuts across various offices and educational institutions in Dhaka.
“We are fully expecting people to queue up overnight outside the store,” said James Phillips, director of international marketing for Krispy Kreme. The first 500 people to stand in line would be Krispy Kreme merchandise.
The store opens its doors at 10am on May 7 and the first customer to purchase a dozen of doughnuts will receive a box of Original Glazed each week for a year.
The second customer to do so gets six months' supply, the third customer three months' and the fourth customer a month's supply.
Besides, the first 500 customers will be entered into a raffle draw, where they stand to win an iPad 4, Beats by Dr Dre headphones, Samsung Galaxy J5, J3 and J2 smartphones.
Headquartered in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Krispy Kreme now has more than 1,000 retail shops in 26 countries.
Founded in 1985 as a phar-maceuticals company, Orion Group today has concerns in cosmetics, toiletries, infrastructure development, real estate and construction, power, high-tech agro products, hospitality, textiles and garments, and aviation management.