Krispy Kreme Cometh

Krispy Kreme doughnuts, an icon of the Southern good life, is coming to Los Angeles some time in the next six months. As part of a company expansion, the pastries (Elvis reportedly always had a dozen jellies on hand at Graceland) will be found at stores from the Southland to Sacramento. Each store typically costs $900,000 and is owned by a franchisee who must first undergo an 18-month evaluation and then a monthlong training period at company headquarters in Winston-Salem, N.C. (called “Krispy Kreme University”). “We entrust these people with the brand,” CEO Scott Livengood says. “It is really like what a parent goes through in determining a baby-sitter for their children.”