The long lines of people waiting for the taste of fresh glazed doughnuts don't seem to be getting any shorter at Krispy Kreme outlets in the Tokyo area, even after the U.S. doughnut chain's third store opened last month in Kawaguchi, Saitama Prefecture.
Its success is the result of long, draining negotiations headed by Takashi Sawada, board director of Krispy Kreme Doughnut Japan Co. and cofounder of corporate turnaround company Revamp Corp.
"There were many twists and turns during the four years it took to sign the (franchise) contract with Krispy Kreme," recalled Sawada, 50, a former vice president of Fast Retailing Co., the operator of Uniqlo stores.