The Irresistible Arrival of Krispy Kreme in Paris, France
Krispy Kreme, a beloved American bakery, has made its much-anticipated debut in the vibrant city of Paris Amidst a sea of traditional bakeries, this iconic brand is capturing the hearts and taste buds of locals with its signature red, white, and green logo
Amidst a city filled with bakeries and specialty pastry shops, a new arrival has made an impact - a red, white, and green alien known as Krispy Kreme.
Before the American donut chain even opened its first location in France, in the heart of Paris, 400 eager customers had already formed a line outside the store by 8 a.m. on Wednesday, according to Alexandre Maizoué, the director-general of Krispy Kreme (DNUT) France.
A small group of customers, excited to get their hands on the famous boxes of glazed, fried dough seen in numerous American movies and TV shows, began queuing at 10 p.m. on Tuesday evening, according to Maizoué. The first ten people in line received a year's worth of free donuts.
"The grand opening was absolutely nuts," Maizoué remarked. "When we closed that evening, people were banging on the windows, pleading for us to let them in."
"We experienced something quite extraordinary in the truest sense of the word."
People line up to buy donuts inside the newly-opened Krispy Kreme in Châtelet-Les Halles, Paris, on December 7.
Jérémy Bouchet
Krispy Kreme has ambitious plans to open 500 "points of access" in France within the next year, which will include new stores, smaller kiosks, and vending machines in supermarkets.
The opening on Wednesday marked the end of an extensive marketing campaign.
Maizoués' team distributed 100,000 complimentary donuts in the fortnight leading up to the store's opening, with Parisians queueing for up to a mile (1.5 kilometers) at 10 different pop-up locations throughout the city.
However, the high-energy campaign has sparked criticism from the city government. Deputy Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire expressed disapproval in a post last month, stating that Krispy Kreme fly-posters were causing litter on the streets.
Grégoire called the practice of sticking posters on property without its owners permission as "illegal, polluting and costly for the community."
Pop cultures power
Krispy Kreme has had ties to France from the start. In 1937, the company's founder acquired the original donut recipe from a French chef in New Orleans, Louisiana. Additionally, the company is not the only American food giant to be well-received in France, a country known for its gourmet cuisine and artisanal pastries rather than fast food.
McDonald's (MCD) has the most restaurant locations in France compared to any other European country. However, its competitor Popeyes is now entering the market. The Louisiana-based fried chicken chain opened its first store in France in February, located in northern Paris, and has plans to open hundreds more across the country in the near future.
Krispy Kreme workers prepare donuts in the firm's first store in France on December 4.
Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP/Getty Images
Times have changed, according to Maizoué. The success of Frances first Krispy Kreme store is emblematic of the "power of American pop culture," he said.
"The appeal of US culture seems to be particularly strong among the younger generation, especially those who are avid Netflix viewers and are drawn to American shows featuring (Krispy Kreme) donuts," stated Dominique Anract, president of the National Confederation of French Bakeries, which represents the country's 33,000 artisanal bakeries. He also believes that there is a significant opportunity for a new participant in the expansive market that Paris offers.
"We have 1,100 bakeries in Paris, so I'm not worried," he told CNN. He added that the bakeries sell a wide variety of products, including pastries, desserts, salads, and sandwiches. "We're not going to be eating donuts every single day."
