By 1979, the chain had grown to 1,000 shops in the United States and abroad. Last year, the 5,000th shop opened. Krispy Kreme's roots date back to 1933 in Paducah, Ky., where founder Vernon Rudolph bought a doughnut shop and with it, a secret doughnut recipe. Rudolph established his first retail shop in Winston-Salem in 1937 and began opening more across the South. There are now more than 170 stores.
Doughnuts are big business.
Now it seems Krispy Kreme is gearing up for coffee competition too. Earlier this year the company bought Digital Java Inc., a Chicago-area coffee roasting company that also distributes coffee and espresso machines. Chief Executive Officer Scott Livengood said Krispy Kreme intends to increase its coffee business and develop espresso-based drinks and frozen beverages. But Ken Kimmel, a spokesman for Dunkin' Donuts, noted that his chain already sells 650 million cups of coffee a year. All rights reserved.