ATLANTA — Tea and crumpets, look out. British waistlines, that goes for you, too.
Krispy Kreme is setting up shop this October at London's legendary Harrods, the first wave in a hot, glazed invasion of the United Kingdom. The Harrods outlet, complete with a "doughnut-making theater," will be the first of 25 Krispy Kreme sites pegged for Britain and Ireland.
"This is a landmark event in Krispy Kreme's history," said Scott Livengood, chief executive officer of the chain, based in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Having addicted a good bit of America — and Wall Street, too, since a 2000 stock offering — Krispy Kreme is looking abroad for more faithful. The company is expanding in Canada and Australia, and going into Mexico and Spain. Nearly 80 new stores are planned this year.
The Harrods store will be the first in Europe.
The U.K. franchise is part-owned by "American Bandstand" icon Dick Clark, who got hooked on Krispy Kremes during '50s band tours through the South.
If the Brits knew what was in store, they might start queuing up.
Opening day at Krispy Kreme in the United States frequently begins the night before, with fans lining up in the wee hours for the flip of the switch on the "Hot doughnuts now" sign.
Krispy Kreme's debut in Canada set a weekly sales record of $465,000, a company executive recently told analysts. Its store near Sydney was instantly mobbed, even though few Australians knew what Krispy Kreme was.
Krispy Kreme's British plans follow a recent coffee bar craze there, said Don Henshall of Krispy Kreme's U.K. operations. Plus, there's no head-to-head competition, Henshall told Reuters.
"In Britain, the doughnut market is a market without a brand."