Krispy Kreme to open first Dutch stores with former Dunkin’ Netherlands boss

Krispy Kreme, the American donut chain and long-time competitor of Dunkin’, is entering the Dutch market through a franchise deal with entrepreneur Roberto Fava, who previously managed Dunkin’ operations in the Netherlands. Fava himself described the switch as “like a transfer from Ajax to PSV, or from Burger King to McDonald’s.”

The first store is planned to open in November or December and will function both as a retail location and a production site, where visitors can watch the doughnuts being made. Fava says the exact location has not yet been decided, as discussions with landlords are still ongoing. He estimates that about 50 staff will be needed for the initial branch.

The entrepreneur ultimately plans to open about 30 locations in the Netherlands over the next five years, focusing mainly on major cities and transport hubs such as railway stations. He is also developing an online shop and is in discussions with petrol stations and supermarkets about carrying his doughnuts in their stores.

Founded in 1937, Krispy Kreme is a well-established name in the United States, where it has long shared the doughnut market with rival Dunkin’. In the Netherlands, however, Dunkin’s history has been more volatile.

The chain first arrived in the 1990s, expanding to five stores before all Dutch locations closed by 2000. It made a comeback in 2017 with a store in Amsterdam, which was followed by rapid expansion to dozens of branches. Despite that growth, Dunkin’ ultimately went bankrupt in the Netherlands in 2024.

Fava said the situation was partly driven by financial challenges linked to the COVID-19 period. He also pointed to competition from chains such as Starbucks and AH to go. Since Dunkin’ restarted its operations in 2024, Fava has no longer been involved with the company.