Malaysia welcomes Krispy Kreme with open arms…and loads of eager doughnut eaters

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, a 72 year old retailer of premium quality doughnuts and beverages, and the newest brand managed by Berjaya Corporation in Malaysia, switched on its iconic Hot Light today at Berjaya Times Square. A working Monday proved to be no barrier for the mass of doughnut fans as they queued from the wee hours of the morning in front of the store, in hopes of winning the Golden Ticket –a one year’s supply of the Original Glazed® Doughnuts and various enticing prizes which were also up for grabs.

The first in Malaysia was officiated by His Excellency, Mr James R. Keith, American Ambassador to Malaysia, Mr Jeff Welch, President, Krispy Kreme International, Mr Jim Rogers, , Vice President of Marketing, Krispy Kreme International, Dato’ Francis Lee, Dato’ Robin Tan, Executive Directors of Berjaya Corporation, in a ribbon-cutting ceremony witnessed by diehard doughnut fans and invited guests.

In his opening speech, Dato’ Francis Lee said, “We are proud to welcome Krispy Kreme to Malaysia. Our first store here in Berjaya Times Square is as authentic as it can get, having ingredients directly from United States to recreate the exact melt-in-your-mouth doughnut experience Kirspy Kreme customers around the world love.”

Mr Jeff Welch hoped that Krispy Kreme would become part of Malaysian’s makan culture and congratulated Berjaya Corporation in its success. “A partner like Berjaya is imperative to the continued development of the Krispy Kreme brand worldwide. Berjaya’s strong understanding of the local consumer and marketplace is a great asset for Krispy Kreme in building a strong brand in Malaysia,” he said.

It turned out to be Joey Tham Li-Yen’s lucky day as she was congratulated by Dato’ Francis Lee and presented with the Golden Ticket for being the first customer to walk into the store. The second customer in line was Alex Leong Kok Weng who won himself the Silver Ticket –6 months worth of Hot Original Glazed® Doughnuts; and the third person in line was Bilal Ahmed who won the Bronze Ticket –3 months worth of the Original Glazed® Doughnuts. The 4th to 100th persons receive vouchers for a one month supply each, while the 101th to 300th persons were given a prized collectible Krispy Kreme mug with its iconic bowtie logo on the front and back.

The 1,600-square foot full-service Krispy Kreme store in Berjaya Times Square features the world famous ‘Doughnut Theatre’ for customers to watch the doughnut-making process from the beginning to the end. Each section of the Doughnut Theatre was a glass viewing area where customers will see legions of doughnuts marching along the conveyer belt from one process to the next, finally flipping over and passing through a waterfall of glaze. The store’s doughnut-making machine can produce and glaze nearly 18,000 doughnuts a day and customers can even make arrangements to create their own doughnuts.

The store’s interior design cleverly combines historical references to the 70-year old company while encompassing today’s modern elements with a warm and inviting ambience, depicting Krispy Kreme’s best known qualities –friendly and fun.

Krispy Kreme’s Hot Original Glazed® Doughnuts are made from the same secret recipe used for over 70 years. An unforgettable treat passed down from generation to generation, Krispy Kreme is widely loved around the world because the doughnuts are made fresh daily and throughout the day using their own propriety doughnut mix to ensure quality and consistency. Besides doughnuts, Krispy Kreme also offers two types of expertly brewed coffee, made from high-quality coffee beans roasted by Krispy Kreme’s own roastmaster.

When the world famous Original Glazed® Doughnuts are made, Krispy Kreme’s iconic neon “Hot Light” will be illuminated as a sign that the doughnuts are being made and served “Hot Now” in the store. The “Hot Light” is a constant and distinctive reminder to all customers, hence passers-by can immediately stop to purchase hot Original Glazed® Doughnuts and indulge their palate with tantalisingly soft one-of-a-kind taste treats.

Following the success of the first store in Malaysia, a second Hot Light will be turned on soon in Mid Valley Megamall by the end of May 2009.

About Krispy Kreme
Krispy Kreme is a leading branded specialty retailer of premium quality treats; including its signature hot Original Glazed® Doughnuts. Headquartered in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA, the company has offered the highest quality doughnuts and great tasting coffee since it was founded in 1937. Today, Krispy Kreme and its one-of-a-kind Hot Light can be found in approximately 525 locations around the world.