Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Opens First Thai Store In Bangkok

[Tinkelbell]

I remember them being a little bit crispy, for a doughnut anyway. They are seriously unhealthy and people tend to eat a lot of them in one sitting. Bon appetit!

Jingthing,

What you said is true, it's unhealthy food and people tend to eat a lot in one sitting. But I crave for that heavenly taste, it's very light and soft, just melt in your mouth, so you keep popping in one by one, by the time you realize you already consume half a dozen.

[mdechgan]

Well I have been to Paragorn, and just by watching from the BTS station, I knew it would be a bad idea to try to go there.

Here are some pictures I took from the station:

Note the lenght of the queue, I'd say about 150 meters...

I think its just a phase for Thai people.

Remember the rotiboy thing a few years ago?

[hyperdimension]

So for me it's a freshly warm glazed KK worths to die for.

Nice pun. Half a dozen per day over sufficient period of time may cause it.

It might be difficult in general to always avoid businesses that are linked to Thaksin Shinawatra, but this one is easy to avoid.

[Buchholz]

Well I have been to Paragorn, and just by watching from the BTS station, I knew it would be a bad idea to try to go there.

Here are some pictures I took from the station:

Note the lenght of the queue, I'd say about 150 meters...

I think its just a phase for Thai people.

Remember the rotiboy thing a few years ago?

Krispy Kreme is Thailand's 2010 version of the Pet Rock

(they probably taste similar).

Odd to see them jump to such prominence in Thailand. We always considered them the poor man's donut in the USA, or at least they seemed more appealing to the lower end of the socio-economic stratus. Greasy and overly sweet. It just seems so odd that over here, they are seemingly rivaling the Hilton in their air of perceived exclusivity and desirability.

But I guess it's not much different from the cheapo-fast-food of McDonalds in the USA becoming a enviable fine dining event here.

As per an earlier post, it does seem America has great marketing abilities.

Edited October 4, 2010 by Buchholz

[PatLogan]

I think its just a phase for Thai people.

Remember the rotiboy thing a few years ago?

Oh you had the Rotiboy craze here too? I remember when the first ones opened in KL (it is originally from Penang) and it was a bit crazy. But NEVER that crazy.

I also remember when J.Co donuts opened for the first time, there were 50 people queues, but never THAT crazy too (and J.Co is still experiencing queues, but not as bad as once it started.

That said, I was speaking with Filipino friends yesterday, and they could not wait to go there and get some KK doughnuts once i told them it has opened in Paragorn, it seems it is very popular in the Philippines.

/ Actually I keep on coming at this thread because and US citizen friend of mine living in Malaysia, a Malay young lady friend of mine, and myself have had an on going arguments about which doughnuts are the best in KL: KK or J.Co. And the American is with me on this, even if J.Co is an Indonesian brand . So I gave them the link to come and argue here if they want

Edited October 4, 2010 by PatLogan

[moetownblues]

OUCH!!! There have been quite a few KK threads here lately, so I didn't catch the original item in this thread relating to the franchisee's close ties with Thaksin....

Hmm... maybe that's the deal with their jelly dognuts... You bite into one, and then it oozes red stuff all over you...

It's interesting to see the article mention the connection with Thaksin Shinawatra. It's yet another reason to avoid Krispy Kreme in Thailand.

see also just previous post on the owner's billionaire father funding of red shirts.

btw, this is the "Kreme dream" heiress Ausanee Mahagitsiri

during the Billion Baht Diamond Collection Extravaganza at the Oriental Hotel

http://thaicatwalk.c...11/beauty-gems/

I guess this is the before shot. Before she started eating American Food. I guess the large girl on the stool in a previous shot is the after eating pic.

[baksiidaa]

Has anyone been by today yet? I'm wondering what the line is like this week. Also, do they set a limit as to how many you can order? Thinking of swinging by one day this week and buying a few dozen for my coworkers. I just don't want to wait in line for longer than 30 minutes.

[Caliguy]

Just yesterday (Oct 3rd) the line was still all the way around the corner. Pretty sure its the same today. 550 Baht for 1 dozen glazed? Get the ___ outta here! They are about 120 baht(1 dozen) in the states!

[Buchholz]

Just yesterday (Oct 3rd) the line was still all the way around the corner. Pretty sure its the same today. 550 Baht for 1 dozen glazed? Get the ___ outta here! They are about 120 baht(1 dozen) in the states!

18 dollars for Krispy Kreme??

and people are lined around the block for that opportunity to pay outrageously for that junk? :cheesy:

yep, America definitely excels at marketing.

[baksiidaa]

Just yesterday (Oct 3rd) the line was still all the way around the corner. Pretty sure its the same today. 550 Baht for 1 dozen glazed? Get the ___ outta here! They are about 120 baht(1 dozen) in the states!

You've confirmed this price? I had heard they were supposed to be even cheaper than they are in the US. That is ridiculous if they really are 550 baht. Actually, they are closer to 200 baht for a dozen glazed in the US.

[Caliguy]

Someone on twitter posted a pic of a receipt 1 dozen glazed total 550 baht. I'm still looking for that pic.

[Buchholz]

No prices shown on their website:

http://www.krispykreme.co.th/#

[Jingthing]

If you have to ask, you can't afford ... the calories.

[ratcatcher]

Just yesterday (Oct 3rd) the line was still all the way around the corner. Pretty sure its the same today. 550 Baht for 1 dozen glazed? Get the ___ outta here! They are about 120 baht(1 dozen) in the states!

18 dollars for Krispy Kreme??

and people are lined around the block for that opportunity to pay outrageously for that junk? :cheesy:

yep, America definitely excels at marketing.

Buchholz, I think the Thai franchise owner of KK should be credited with excelling at marketing if she can squeeze 550 baht out of young middle class Thais for a box of (24?) dognuts. These customers would probably line up overnight if they had to as this is a new company here, it's run by a hi-so and operates out of Paragon.

Give it a few months when the novelty cachet has worn off and we'll see what kind of marketing plan she comes up with when customer numbers and interest fall.

[jfchandler]

As I mentioned in an earlier post here, I saw on their menu board the other day that the price for the regular glazed donut per piece was like 27 baht...and then 33 or so for the fancy varieties... I can't recall the boxed set prices...

[maprao]

I hated doughnuts until I had a crispy cream doughnut! Until you have eaten one you cannot comment. I hate sweets but I can 6 in one sitting they are addictive! I will drive 3 hours to Bangkok spend 1300 Baht in Diesel to buy my box!!!!!!!Go buy one eat it then comment!

[tomyummer]

Has anyone been by today yet? I'm wondering what the line is like this week. Also, do they set a limit as to how many you can order? Thinking of swinging by one day this week and buying a few dozen for my coworkers. I just don't want to wait in line for longer than 30 minutes.

Like mentioned earlier, the long lines are made up of mostly Nescafe workers encouraged to make 'the daughter's' new business look good and keep up the hype. They will continue to do this so as not to suffer the fate of Rotiboy.

Edited October 8, 2010 by tomyummer

[Awohalitsiktoli]

I visited the Paragon a few days ago. The line to KK was going out the door.

I decided to send them a message, so I went to Daddy Dough (virtually identical to KK), bought a few and then stood in front of the counter eating them, watching the people wait and wait and wait.

I have to admit KK has done a first class job in terms of its architecture/design.

The donuts, back in the USA, are fantastic, especially when warm. But I don't see a big difference between what KK is producing and DD, mainly because DD stole KK's concept

The prices at KK seem high for donuts. But a lot of that has to do with location and rent.

I predict a lot of thin Thai girls will soon be fat Thai girls.

[nikster]

I think its just a phase for Thai people.

Remember the rotiboy thing a few years ago?

Yes - exactly the same thing as with the hot buns a while back (was that rotiboy?). There's some crazy hype that happens for a while, then copycat shops spring up everywhere, then it dies down. I knew that as soon as I told the wife about it and as I was about to explain what KKD is she said "yeah the girlfriends were already discussing flying down to BKK to bring back boxes and boxes. We all want them so bad.". Ok, so we're in the middle of a hype!

I think with donuts,it might last longer, also some of these hot bun places are still around and doing well. Thais already eat donuts, there's Mr. Donut everywhere... why Mr. Donut doesn't take the opportunity to introduce a line of luxury donuts, I don't understand... can't be that hard to make a KKD copy?!

[nikster]

I visited the Paragon a few days ago. The line to KK was going out the door.

I decided to send them a message, so I went to Daddy Dough (virtually identical to KK), bought a few and then stood in front of the counter eating them, watching the people wait and wait and wait.

...

I predict a lot of thin Thai girls will soon be fat Thai girls.

Ah, so DD is the place to go, good to know. Are they as good though?

As for the Thais - I see lots, and lots of fat kids from the well to do families... McD, donuts, all sorts of crap sugar snacks, they can afford it, they do, and they get fat...

[Puccini]

And here's KK's nutrition chart for their U.S. products showing fat, sugars, calories...etc...

KK Nutrition Info.pdf

I can't find Krispy Kreme in the chart you attached. Does anybody have the nutritional information for the product this thread is about?

[Maestro]

...Note the lenght of the queue, I'd say about 150 meters...

Is that the queue for Krispy Kreme? Very disciplined, I must say.

[jfchandler]

You're not looking too hard...

That entire document, an Acrobat PDF file, is the nutritional document for all the items on KK's USA menu... The document is direct from KK's USA web site...

The first item on the list is their trademark glazed donut....

And here's KK's nutrition chart for their U.S. products showing fat, sugars, calories...etc...

KK Nutrition Info.pdf

I can't find Krispy Kreme in the chart you attached. Does anybody have the nutritional information for the product this thread is about?

[Tinkelbell]

I hated doughnuts until I had a crispy cream doughnut! Until you have eaten one you cannot comment. I hate sweets but I can 6 in one sitting they are addictive! I will drive 3 hours to Bangkok spend 1300 Baht in Diesel to buy my box!!!!!!!Go buy one eat it then comment!

I share your sentiment, but my addiction is a warm glazed KK donut kind.

With every bite I feel so guilty about the high calories, yet I always manage to indulge half a dozen in one sitting.

Why ? Because it's so light, so solf , just melt in your mouth. Taste heavenly really.

[Ulysses G.]

I think its just a phase for Thai people.

Remember the rotiboy thing a few years ago?

Exactly the same thing happens in Western countries: Mrs Fields cookies was one shop that crowds waited in line for and some kind of super-rich cinnamon bun shop was another.

[shotover]

I was in Siam Paragon about 7 pm tonight, and stopped by the KK shop just to see how business was doing... Almost as long a line as the other weeknight night, not quite out the door... but still probably 50+ people waiting at that hour of the evening to buy dognuts!!!

The diet police must be mortified!

I noticed on their menu board sign, I believe, the prices are something like 27 baht for the regular glazed and 32 baht for their fancier varieties... I may be off a couple baht on one or the other of those figures... but close. I had the impression they're more expensive that the other place in Emporium and such...

So a regular glazed at 27 baht compares to about $1.10 USD (33 baht) in the USA and about 21 baht in the Philippines. Many varieties of Mr Donut in Bangkok are available for about 12 baht?

[brahmburgers]

This is news?

Thailand, get ready for more fatties and snot dripping - the same color as the sugar laden stuff they fill the donuts with.

Could be a boon for those selling tissues and cold medicine.

[moetownblues]

D'ough! Krispy Kreme going bust

1/11/2010 10:52:01 AM AAP

Krispy Kreme is still rolling out the dough, but it says not enough dough is rolling in.

The Australian arm of the US doughnut company has gone into voluntary administration, citing poor sales and high costs in the majority of its 50 stores across Australia. It appears Australia just can't embrace the American culture of doughnut eating.

All employee entitlements had been protected and would be paid in full to staff made redundant.

I must admit when I saw this article in the news this morning I was not supprised. You walk past of one of these stores (Basically just shop fronts) you would be lucky if you saw a single customer inside. I guess that Aussies find this stuff disgusting or far to expensive.

[whybother]

D'ough! Krispy Kreme going bust

1/11/2010 10:52:01 AM AAP

Krispy Kreme is still rolling out the dough, but it says not enough dough is rolling in.

The Australian arm of the US doughnut company has gone into voluntary administration, citing poor sales and high costs in the majority of its 50 stores across Australia. It appears Australia just can't embrace the American culture of doughnut eating.

All employee entitlements had been protected and would be paid in full to staff made redundant.

I must admit when I saw this article in the news this morning I was not supprised. You walk past of one of these stores (Basically just shop fronts) you would be lucky if you saw a single customer inside. I guess that Aussies find this stuff disgusting or far to expensive.

I remember the Melbourne stores being just as busy as the new Bangkok store. The novelty soon wears off though. I have heard the Singapore (or KL??) store is quite empty too.

[Thai-Aust]

Ah-Hah, it closes its factory in Australia and opened its door in Thailand. Thanks for the global commercialisation.