WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — A Kentucky man with a special doughnut recipe wanted to start his own business. A pack of his favorite cigarettes led him to the Camel City in 1937, and that’s how the internationally-known sweet treat, Krispy Kreme, was born.
What You Need To Know
- The first Krispy Kreme location opened in Winston-Salem on July 13, 1937
- Doughnut equipment designed by Vernon Rudolph and Krispy Kreme, such as the Ring-King Junior, is part of the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.
- Krispy Kreme has more than 1,400 locations worldwide, and is headquartered in Charlotte
Vernon Rudolph was born in Benton, Kentucky. He helped his uncle, Ishmael Armstrong, with his general store in Paducah, Kentucky.
One day, a steamboat cook stopped in and gave Armstrong two recipes — one for pineapple pie and another for doughnuts. Armstrong and Rudolph started making doughnuts, and they were a hit, selling out each week.
By 1937, Rudolph wanted to branch out to start his own business. He and his salesperson packed up their equipment in his truck, and moved to Winston-Salem.
They opened up the first Krispy Kreme location on July 13, 1937 in what is now historic Old Salem. The shop quickly gained popularity as most other doughnut shops were closed for the summer.
“So many people started hearing about these doughnuts, they’d go knock on the door and ask for some,” Sanford Rudolph said.
Sanford Rudolph, the son of Vernon Rudolph, started working for his father when he was 9, making doughnuts. Growing up in Winston-Salem, Sanford Rudolph had a front-row seat to watching the evolution of Krispy Kreme.
“I couldn’t see what it’s become today back then, but my dad had that vision,” Sanford Rudolph said.
Vernon Rudolph worked seven days a week, maximizing every bit of his business.
Krispy Kreme grew from a wholesale business that delivered fresh doughnuts to grocery stores, to a string of retail stores. Their doughnut-making equipment was cutting edge and revolutionary for the time, forever impacting the industry.
“They maximized everything. They sold machinery, they sold the mix and then the doughnut shops were open 24/7,” Sanford Rudolph said.
Krispy Kreme is a North Carolina favorite, and now, it’s an international favorite as well. Krispy Kreme has more than 1,400 locations worldwide and became a publicly traded company in July 2021.
“My dad, his goal was to make the best possible doughnut and sell it for the best price and still make a living, and he accomplished that,” Sanford Rudolph said.
Vernon Rudolph died in August 1973. The company is headquartered in Charlotte with offices still located in Winston-Salem.
