By Daniela Sirtori-Cortina | Bloomberg
Krispy Kreme shares soared the most since July 2021 after McDonald’s Corp. agreed to bring the chain’s doughnuts to restaurants across the US.
In the burger giant’s latest effort to attract diners for breakfast and all-day snacking, Krispy Kreme’s sugary pastries will first become available at some McDonald’s later this year, the companies said in a statement Tuesday. A nationwide rollout is expected by the end of 2026.
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Krispy Kreme shares jumped as much as 27% in New York trading Tuesday and were up 18% at 9:39 a.m. McDonald’s stock was down 0.2%.
Adding Krispy Kreme to its menu gives McDonald’s “a chance to unlock new business opportunities in the breakfast category and throughout the day,” said Tariq Hassan, the chief marketing officer for McDonald’s USA.
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The chains tested diners’ appetite for the treats in 160 McDonald’s restaurants in two Kentucky cities, according to the statement, and results “exceeded expectations.” The lineup will include three of Krispy Kreme’s most popular doughnuts — the original glazed, chocolate iced with sprinkles, and chocolate iced “kreme” filled — which will be delivered to McDonald’s locations every day.
For Krispy Kreme, the deal will more than double the locations where consumers can buy its products, Chief Executive Officer Josh Charlesworth said. McDonald’s had more than 13,000 restaurants in the US as of Dec. 31. The doughnut chain has more than 14,000 “points of access,” according to the statement Tuesday.
The addition of Krispy Kreme is the latest change to McDonald’s bakery lineup. The chain discontinued its apple fritter, blueberry muffin and cinnamon roll from all restaurants in 2023. It kept its chocolate chip cookies, baked apple pie and frozen desserts.
Krispy Kreme shares were down 18% this year through Monday, trailing the 2.3% rise of the Russell 2000 Index. McDonald’s was down 6%.
