Mmm, Doughnuts...

For executives at Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corporation, offering their yummy wares to churches and schools at a discounted price was part of the original wholesale philosophy.

“Actually, [our] doughnuts were among the very first ‘products’ that could be purchased for resale by churches and schools that actually had the profit potential to make it worthwhile,” says Krispy Kreme Community Partners Director Sam Fowler. “Until Krispy Kreme came along in the South [in the early ‘40s], the only way churches and schools could raise money was to host a bake sale or a carwash or pancake supper—something that involved their members making items to sell.”

By the early ‘50s, however, Krispy Kreme was offering its doughnuts to schools and churches for about 50 cents per dozen, which the groups then re-sold for $1. It soon became a weekend ritual for many such groups: Call the Krispy Kreme store, order 100 or 200 dozen, drive to the store early in the morning to pick up the doughnuts, then sell them directly to the public off of a table outside a shopping area or door-to-door.

“This was a powerful tool for Krispy Kreme to help build community relations,” Fowler adds. “[The ability to] help them raise funds continues to be a major way we’ve been able to give back to our communities.”

In 1999, church and school groups raised more than $15 million with Krispy Kreme fund-raising programs. And last year, these same groups raised more than $43 million from the sales of doughnuts, cards and certificates.

“Church schools are some of our biggest customers,” Fowler says.

“Students and parents often have ‘doughnut days’ several times a year, or even once a month, to raise money for ongoing projects.” River Valley Christian School in Fort Smith, AK, is one very successful example. Every week this year, groups have sold Krispy Kreme doughnuts by the dozen. To date, they’ve raised more than $100,000.

So, if you’re looking for a more tempting fund raiser this year, Krispy Kreme has three sweet ideas.

Your church buys the certificates for $2.50 and sells them for up to $6 apiece. Customers redeem each certificate for one dozen original glazed doughnuts at any participating Krispy Kreme shop and get $1 off a second dozen original glazed doughnuts.