Edinburgh Krispy Kreme serving 10,000 people a day

THE Capital’s new Krispy Kreme doughnut store has served more than 10,000 people a day in its first three weeks of trading.

Doughnut fans have flocked in their droves to the US chain’s flagship Hermiston Gait store – while the company wouldn’t say how many of their treats they had sold, if every one of the 210,000 customers to go through the doors so far had picked up an iconic Krispy Kreme dozen it would mean more than 2.5 million had been sold so far.

Store bosses have also revealed that they served more than 10,000 motorists at the drive-through counter.

The firm could cash in even more on its popularity after being granted permission to trade through the night by licensing chiefs on Friday.

It is understood that as yet there are no plans to alter the store’s hours and open between 11pm and 5am but the option of night-time trading may be considered in the future.

At present, Krispy Kreme’s store is open between 7am and 10pm, Monday to Saturday, and 8am and 10pm on Sunday, with an average of 673 customers coming through the door every hour.

Tailbacks for the drive-through service stretched hundreds of metres through the retail centre’s car park and past a roundabout on the edge of the city bypass as hundreds queued for up to two hours to buy doughnuts when the shop opened earlier this month.

Labour’s shadow business minister and MP for Edinburgh South, Ian Murray, said: “Krispy Kreme are supplying both jobs and a boost to the local economy.

“Given recent bad news stories such as Comet and HMV, any modicum of good news should be welcomed. I’m sure stores near to Krispy Kreme have also received a kickback in the form of increased footfall. I’d be surprised if the store sustained this level of early success but as long as they pay their taxes I say more power to them.”

The company has admitted it is “delighted” with the “unprecedented” success of the Edinburgh store, its first in Scotland, and admitted customer numbers in its first few weeks had been “way beyond our expectations”.

However, nutritionists have questioned the health consequences of eating too many doughnuts. The company’s classic glazed doughnut contains 217 calories and 13g fat while the Cookies & Kreme doughnut has 380 calories and 17g fat.

Emma Conroy, of Edinburgh Nutrition, believes the firm’s soaring popularity is “sad to see”. She said: “I hope it’s a novelty but it doesn’t seem to be. It’s pretty sad that people have gone so mad for a doughnut shop. We crave sugar for the energy it provides us but it needs to be worked off.”

Sian Porter, consultant dietician and spokeswoman for the British Dietetic Association echoed this and said: “They are definitely a treat item, not something to have regularly.

“Also, you have to look at the way they sell them – they offer discounts for a box, so there is the temptation to buy more than you want, which can encourage people to eat more.”