In 1933, Vernon Rudolph, the founder of Krispy Kreme, bought a doughnut shop in Paducah, Kentucky, from a French chef from New Orleans. He received the company’s assets, good will and the rights to a secret yeast-raised doughnut recipe.

Rudolph, opened the shop for retail business by cutting a hole in the shop’s wall so he could sell the doughnuts. This innovation was the beginning of Krispy Kreme’s modern day window service. On July 13, 1937 the first Krispy Kreme doughnuts were made and sold at the new Winston Salem shop.

Today, Krispy Kreme produces 7.5 million doughnuts a day and more than 2.7 billion doughnuts a year trough over 530 stores in 17 countries.