Local doughnut makers weigh in on Krispy Kreme plans
File Photo / Tim Greenway
Shelby and Nels Omdal, owners of the Frosty's Donut & Coffee Shop in Brunswick. Shelby told the Portland Press Herald that customer's preference to buy local will likely prevent any loss in sales when Krispy Kreme sets up shop in Maine.
The news of the national doughnut chain Krispy Kreme’s impending move into three Maine locations hasn’t sent local doughnut makers running for the hills quite yet.
Maine is currently home to a handful of locally owned and operated doughnut shops like Portland’s The Holy Donut, Little Bigs bakery in South Portland and the Brunswick-based Frosty’s Donut & Coffee Shop.
Frosty’s co-owner Shelby Omdal took notice of Krispy Kreme’s aggressive expansion plans into the Northeast, but told The Portland Press Herald that Mainers are “fiercely loyal” to their local doughnut pusher.
“Mainers are very into the ‘buy local’ movement right now,” Omdal told the Press Herald. “I don’t think they (Krispy Kreme) would be taking business away from us, or Tony’s, or Holy Donut.”
Pamela Fitzpatrick Plunkett, co-owner of Little Bigs, also told the Press Herald that she’s not overly worried about the Krispy empire’s expansion, saying the real test will come from Krispy Kreme’s staying power within the state.
“In the short term, I think any new business … affects everybody,” Plunkett told the Press Herald. “The proof is in whether they can stick it out for a year or two.”
Krispy Kreme signed a development agreement to open four locations in New Hampshire and three in Maine, with Bangor eyed as the first possible location with franchisee NH Glazed LLC.
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