Property News - Krispy Kreme plans 25 UK stores in five years

Krispy Kreme, the US-based doughnut retailer, is to enter the UK market.

Its initial target is to open 25 stores over the next five years, and Krispy Kreme has signed up Colliers CRE and Shelley Sandzer to drive its UK property acquisition programme.

The agents are looking for units between 230 sq m and 365 sq m with A3 planning consent. Krispy Kreme's first store will be in the Southeast, within the M25.

Krispy Kreme already has 260 stores in the US and Canada. The stores create a sense of theatre where customers can watch a hot doughnut being made from beginning to end.

Founded in 1937 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Krispy Kreme sells an estimated 5 million doughnuts every day, and more than 2 billion each year. Krispy Kreme offers 15 varieties of doughnuts, including the best-selling Original Glazed, made from a secret proprietary recipe created more than 65 years ago.

Krispy Kreme UK managing director Don Henshall said: 'We are very excited about the growth of Krispy Kreme and the opportunity to bring our taste treat to the UK. We have hired two property agents to bring us a combination of widespread access to landlords, A3 and out of town experience. This two-pronged approach will help us realise our goal of opening the first store in Greater London in 2003.'