On this day in history, July 13, 1937, Krispy Kreme is founded: 'Doughnuts with a delightful aroma'

On July 13, 1937, the renowned doughnut chain Krispy Kreme was established in North Carolina.

According to Krispy Kreme's website, the company's founder, Vernon Rudolph, acquired a confidential recipe for yeast-based doughnuts from a French chef in New Orleans.

According to the chain's website, Rudolph established a doughnut factory in contemporary Old Salem, North Carolina, and started selling doughnuts to nearby grocery stores.

"Passersby stopped to inquire about purchasing hot doughnuts as the tantalizing aroma of cooking doughnuts wafted through the streets," stated the website.

By cutting a hole in the wall of his building, Rudolph established the first Krispy Kreme storefront, where customers could purchase a glazed doughnut directly from the sidewalk.

"Krispy Kreme is a globally recognized and cherished sweet treat brand," its website stated.

"The Original Glazed® doughnut is renowned for its hot, melt-in-your-mouth experience," they stated.

The company, which started as a literal hole in the wall in North Carolina, now has operations in more than 30 countries, according to its website.

In the 1940s and 1950s, Krispy Kreme expanded throughout North Carolina and South Carolina, and refined its doughnut-making processes.

Despite using the same recipe, the inconsistencies in scratch-made doughnuts among the stores were due to differences in the quality of ingredients and the skill of the bakers.

The solution to this problem? Automation.

Krispy Kreme established a mix plant and established a delivery system that ensured each store received the ideal dry doughnuts mix, according to the company's website.

"In the 1950s, Rudolph and his equipment engineers developed and constructed Krispy Kreme's unique doughnut-making machinery. Since then, they have been working to enhance and streamline the doughnut-making process."

In 1976, three years after Rudolph's death, the company was sold to Beatrice Foods Company.

In 1982, "a small group of our early franchisees" bought back the company from Beatrice Foods.

The company prioritized a renewed focus on the hot doughnut experience and expanded beyond its roots in the southeastern United States.

Krispy Kreme opened its first store in New York City in 1996.

The Krispy Kreme Flagship store, located in the city, offers an exclusive "Big Apple Doughnut" filled with apple cream.

The company's first California store opened in 1999, and it went public with an IPO in April 2000, according to its website.

In December 2001, Krispy Kreme opened its first international store in Ontario, Canada, as per its website.

In 2003, Krispy Kreme expanded internationally by opening branches in Sydney, Australia, and London, England.