A mini-trade war may be in the making in the Netherlands, as two U.S. donut giants go head-to-head for Dutch business.
Robert Fava, the former head of Dunkin’s long-established Dutch branch, which has about 50 Dutch stores, is now spearheading an invasion by Krispy Kreme, and says he plans to open about 30 locations over the next five years, concentrating on major cities and transport hubs. He’s also looking at an online app and the possibility of selling at gas stations and supermarkets as well. Fava described his switch as “like a transfer from Ajax to PSV, or from Burger King to McDonald’s.”
Dunkin, formerly Dunkin Donuts, has had a checkered history in the Netherlands. Its first Dutch operation, with five stores opened in the 1990s, closed in 2000. It returned in 2017 with a single store in Amsterdam, and then expanded to 76 branches around the country. The operation went bankrupt in 2024, closing about two dozen of its stores. Fava left the company at that time.
Both companies are units of larger holding companies. Dunkin’s parent, Inspire Brands, also owns Arby’s, Baskin-Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, Jimmy John’s and Sonic; KrispyKreme is owned by JAB Holdings, based in Luxembourg. Its portfolio includes ownership or controlling stakes in Peet’s Coffee, Keurig Dr Pepper, Panera Bread, Pret a Manger, Caribou Coffee, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Bruegger’s Bagels and National Veterinary Associates.
