What happened to Krispy Kreme after the acquisition?

3,500 places where you could buy Krispy Kreme doughnuts disappeared in a single year — gas stations, grocery stores, and convenience shops all lost their deliveries The McDonald's partnership collapsed after barely a year — 2,400 locations that had just started selling Krispy Kreme pulled the doughnuts from the menu in July 2025

Who owns Krispy Kreme?

Krispy Kreme is owned by JAB Holding Company, which acquired it in 2016.

Is Krispy Kreme Private Equity Owned?

Q: Is Krispy Kreme owned by private equity?

Yes. Krispy Kreme is currently owned by JAB Holding Company, which acquired it in 2016. JAB bought the doughnuts for $1.35 billion, re-IPO'd them, and watched the stock lose three-quarters of its value while 3,500 locations went dark.

PRIVATE EQUITY OWNED

Krispy Kreme

Includes Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, DNUT

bakery · Charlotte, NC

PE Firm: JAB Holding Company
Year Acquired: 2016

JAB bought the doughnuts for $1.35 billion, re-IPO'd them, and watched the stock lose three-quarters of its value while 3,500 locations went dark.

The PE Playbook

JAB Holding bought Krispy Kreme for $1.35 billion in 2016 at $21 per share, took it private, then re-IPO'd it in 2021 — the stock has since lost roughly 80% of its value, trading below $4
The McDonald's partnership was supposed to be the growth engine — instead it created 'unsustainable operating costs' of $28.9 million and was terminated in July 2025 after reaching just 2,400 locations
Cut 3,500 access points in a single year, including all 2,400 McDonald's locations plus 1,100 other underperforming spots — calling it 'trimming the fat' on a doughnut company
Revenue dropped 13.5% year-over-year in Q2 2025 to $379.8 million, with adjusted earnings per share at negative $0.15 — JAB still owns over 40% of a sinking stock

Since the Acquisition

3,500 places where you could buy Krispy Kreme doughnuts disappeared in a single year — gas stations, grocery stores, and convenience shops all lost their deliveries
The McDonald's partnership collapsed after barely a year — 2,400 locations that had just started selling Krispy Kreme pulled the doughnuts from the menu in July 2025
Fewer delivery trucks and tighter distribution mean the doughnuts that do reach stores are less fresh — the 'Hot Now' experience that built the brand is increasingly rare outside flagship shops

Sources

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Krispy Kreme

The PE Playbook

Since the Acquisition

Sources

Also owned by JAB Holding Company

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