Krispy Kreme and Dr Pepper have teamed up for the first time to create a doughnut collaboration just in time for football season. The collaboration, which officially began on August 23, is available for a limited time at the chain’s doughnut shops nationwide. Let’s take a look at what we know about this unique collaboration.
Collaboration between Krispy Kreme and Dr Pepper’s Donuts
According to an official press release, football fans and doughnut lovers alike can enjoy the Krispy Kreme x Dr Pepper Kickoff Collection, which includes a reintroduced Krispy Kreme season favorite and a brand new doughnut that offers the refreshing experience of Dr Pepper’s 23 iconic original flavors.
“Two of America’s favorite flavors will become an incredible game day sensation, making this the sweetest kickoff to football season ever. This Dr Pepper collection is a must-have for your game day lineup, no matter who you’re cheering for,” said Dave Skena, Krispy Kreme’s global chief brand officer, in a statement accompanying the press release.
New donuts available include:
- Kickoff Donut from Dr. Pepper: An Original Glazed Donut filled with Dr Pepper frosting, topped with a burgundy sprinkle mix and garnished with a white chocolate Dr Pepper emblem.
- Buttercream Goals Donut: An original glazed donut covered in green glaze, sprinkled with colorful decorations and topped off with a yellow buttercream flavored goalpost.
- Football Donut Filled with KREME: An unglazed donut filled with white CREAM, covered in rich chocolate icing and decorated to resemble a soccer ball.
The Kickoff Collection is available for purchase in-store, pickup at select locations, or delivery through the Krispy Kreme website and app. Additionally, guests can enjoy the doughnuts in a customized Krispy Kreme box containing a half-dozen, delivered fresh daily to select retailers.
McDonald’s expansion
This is just the latest offering from the doughnut giant. Earlier this month, the company announced it would expand its presence in McDonald’s stores across the country.
Verdict Food Service reported that Krispy Kreme is preparing to launch its doughnuts in McDonald’s stores across the country, which will represent significant growth for the company, with the rollout set to begin in Chicago, Illinois in fall 2024.
By the end of the year, about 85% of McDonald’s stores in the U.S. will offer Krispy Kreme doughnuts, with another 5,000 by 2025 and 6,000 by 2026.
According to Krispy Kreme CEO Josh Charlesworth, the company is constantly modernizing its doughnut production processes. Dedicated employees work with customers like McDonald’s to ensure everything runs smoothly. The company focuses on hiring and training production specialists, modernizing its production lines, and continuously improving its manufacturing processes.
The donut chain is also improving its fleet and route planning to improve the efficiency of its production centers and increase its distribution capacity.
In the company’s second-quarter 2024 earnings call, Charlesworth said, “We have a dedicated, cross-functional team there to make sure the facilities and our people are ready. In fact, we’re also making improvements to the production lines and even doing our best to increase productivity and improve our performance over time.”
He continued: “We are very committed to providing a truly high-quality service to McDonald’s restaurants so that people get amazing fresh doughnuts every day of the same quality that they expect from Krispy Kreme and other channels.”
The first announcement of the collaboration between Krispy Kreme and McDonald’s was made in March 2024.
Fresh doughnuts will be offered daily in McDonald’s restaurants across the country, with a phased rollout beginning in late 2024 and expected to be available nationwide by the end of 2026. 160 McDonald’s restaurants participated in a test run of this expanded collaboration in the Lexington and Louisville regions of Kentucky. These restaurants will continue to offer Krispy Kreme doughnuts during the nationwide rollout.
