Anheuser-Busch InBev NV (ADR) (BUD): Today in Business History – Beer, Patents, and Doughnuts

Mmm, doughnuts
The first Krispy Kreme Doughnuts (NYSE:KKD) opened its doors in Winston-Salem, N.C., on July 13, 1937. It was one of the first doughnut stores to make inroads in the American South, and it was also one of the earliest such stores to use a mechanical production line. The first Krispy Kreme was built on such a shoestring budget that founder Vernon Rudolph had to cajole a local grocer into lending him the necessary ingredients for his first batch. The Krispy Kreme business model that’s familiar to its fans was in evidence at this first location — Rudolph focused on selling large amounts of doughnuts wholesale to nearby grocery stores, but he also made sure to entice customers by giving them a clear view of the production process as the doughnut machinery did its work. The sugary glazed donuts that came out of that bakery conveyor belt quickly caught on with North Carolinians, and then with the rest of the world. Today there are nearly 800 Krispy Kreme stores worldwide.

The article Today in Business History: Beer, Patents, and Doughnuts originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Alex Planes has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of General Electric.

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