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CNN Saturday Morning News
Interview with Peter Willasey
Aired October 04, 2003 - 09:19 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Chances are, you about to crave doughnuts to go with that cup of coffee this morning. But across the pond, it could be tea and doughnuts. Here's why. Krispy Kreme's hot light now glowing in London yesterday opened a store at the world- renowned department store Harrods. And let's talk about the sweet success with Peter Willasey of Harrods. He joins us now on the telephone from London.
Good afternoon to you. Do you have a doughnut in hand, Peter?
PETER WILLASEY, HARRODS (on phone): Marty, I've just had a cup of coffee. And I have to say, I just had three Krispy Kremes.
SAVIDGE: Wow. I'm amazed you can still talk at this particular point. You're probably on a real sugar high. How has it been going there are Harrods with this -- what we consider an American institution?
WILLASEY: I tell you, it's been absolutely fantastic. I spent several hours there yesterday and made various trips throughout the day. And I'm glad to say there was a long queue for the whole of yesterday, and the same spirit has continued through today. And we've got a good long queue of people queuing up to sample the goods today as well. It's been a huge success.
SAVIDGE: Well, I've been in the food court there at Harrods, and I must say that Krispy Kreme doesn't want to seem to want to fit in with that very high stature you have. How did this relationship come about?
WILLASEY: Well, I tell you, over the years, we've always tried to offer our customers the unique, the individual, and we've brought a lot of products first to the U.K. over the years.
So when the opportunity for the U.K. market opened up to Krispy Kreme, we thought, Well, look, let's be first. Let's offer our customers the experience before everybody else. And lo and behold, it was a good move, and we're delighted for the next few months that we'll have the exclusivity around the U.K.
SAVIDGE: Do people in Britain embrace doughnuts? Have they always had a thing for them? Or is this a new introduction here?
WILLASEY: It's fair to say that the doughnut is not the taste phenomenon here that it has been in the U.K. for many years, but I think with the arrival of Krispy Kreme, you know, there's a whole new experience for people to revisit the doughnut, because certainly, from my limited experience, there's no comparison between our own U.K.-made doughnuts and the Krispy Kreme doughnuts.
SAVIDGE: You don't what, you haven't got the recipe down right there?
WILLASEY: Yes, I think we've always been offering consumers in this country a poor substitute. So hopefully, people will embrace the Krispy Kreme experience and will continue to come and shop for them.
SAVIDGE: Now, did you have to import the Krispy Kreme doughnut- makers, or were they able to pass along the tradition?
WILLASEY: Well, I know that Krispy Kreme have rolled out several hundred stores in the U.S., so they have a very, very slick operation, and all of the proprietary equipment, together with a whole team of experts, came across over the last few months to put the department together.
So it's a pretty slick operation. And having spoken to some American customers yesterday, they say that the taste of the Harrods Krispy Kreme doughnut is identical to the ones that they've experienced back home.
SAVIDGE: Ah, wonderful. Peter Willasey, thank you very much for joining us this morning on the telephone with your doughnuts and Krispy Kreme. We wish you sweet success. Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired October 4, 2003 - 09:19 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Chances are, you about to crave doughnuts to go with that cup of coffee this morning. But across the pond, it could be tea and doughnuts. Here's why. Krispy Kreme's hot light now glowing in London yesterday opened a store at the world- renowned department store Harrods. And let's talk about the sweet success with Peter Willasey of Harrods. He joins us now on the telephone from London.
Good afternoon to you. Do you have a doughnut in hand, Peter?
PETER WILLASEY, HARRODS (on phone): Marty, I've just had a cup of coffee. And I have to say, I just had three Krispy Kremes.
SAVIDGE: Wow. I'm amazed you can still talk at this particular point. You're probably on a real sugar high. How has it been going there are Harrods with this -- what we consider an American institution?
WILLASEY: I tell you, it's been absolutely fantastic. I spent several hours there yesterday and made various trips throughout the day. And I'm glad to say there was a long queue for the whole of yesterday, and the same spirit has continued through today. And we've got a good long queue of people queuing up to sample the goods today as well. It's been a huge success.
SAVIDGE: Well, I've been in the food court there at Harrods, and I must say that Krispy Kreme doesn't want to seem to want to fit in with that very high stature you have. How did this relationship come about?
WILLASEY: Well, I tell you, over the years, we've always tried to offer our customers the unique, the individual, and we've brought a lot of products first to the U.K. over the years.
So when the opportunity for the U.K. market opened up to Krispy Kreme, we thought, Well, look, let's be first. Let's offer our customers the experience before everybody else. And lo and behold, it was a good move, and we're delighted for the next few months that we'll have the exclusivity around the U.K.
SAVIDGE: Do people in Britain embrace doughnuts? Have they always had a thing for them? Or is this a new introduction here?
WILLASEY: It's fair to say that the doughnut is not the taste phenomenon here that it has been in the U.K. for many years, but I think with the arrival of Krispy Kreme, you know, there's a whole new experience for people to revisit the doughnut, because certainly, from my limited experience, there's no comparison between our own U.K.-made doughnuts and the Krispy Kreme doughnuts.
SAVIDGE: You don't what, you haven't got the recipe down right there?
WILLASEY: Yes, I think we've always been offering consumers in this country a poor substitute. So hopefully, people will embrace the Krispy Kreme experience and will continue to come and shop for them.
SAVIDGE: Now, did you have to import the Krispy Kreme doughnut- makers, or were they able to pass along the tradition?
WILLASEY: Well, I know that Krispy Kreme have rolled out several hundred stores in the U.S., so they have a very, very slick operation, and all of the proprietary equipment, together with a whole team of experts, came across over the last few months to put the department together.
So it's a pretty slick operation. And having spoken to some American customers yesterday, they say that the taste of the Harrods Krispy Kreme doughnut is identical to the ones that they've experienced back home.
SAVIDGE: Ah, wonderful. Peter Willasey, thank you very much for joining us this morning on the telephone with your doughnuts and Krispy Kreme. We wish you sweet success. Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
