You betcha: doughnut lovers in Minnesota are breathing a sigh of sweet relief now that their delivery guy is back in business.
Student Jayson Gonzalez was hailed as a local hero for bringing Krispy Kreme doughnuts across state lines to Minnesota, where the chain hasn’t had a store in 11 years. But when the doughnut chain caught wind of his black market confectionery operation, they tried to put the kibosh on his runs.
His hungry fans nearly lost it — leading Krispy Kreme to backtrack on their decision and help Gonzalez continue his noble work.
The saccharine saga began earlier this year, when the 21-year-old accounting major posted on Facebook Marketplace that he was taking orders for the long-absent treats.
“I kid you not, a couple days later, I had over 300 replies,” .
So he began driving his Ford Focus from St. Paul, Minn., where he’s taking classes, to the closest Krispy Kreme outpost in Clive, Iowa, then back to Minnesota to deliver some 100 12-doughnut boxes for $17-20 each. (, a 12-doughnut box costs $8.)
The 270-mile trek typically took him eight hours — but it was all worth it for his desperate customers.
“Who doesn’t love Krispy Kreme?” regular customer Catherine Newton told the Press of Gonzalez’s venture. She would regularly buy one to three boxes from Gonzalez — who also goes by “The Donut Guy.”
“Well just so you know one of the customers has cancer and you brought her amazing joy!” one grateful customer posted on his Facebook page. “She was so happy to get her box and all the memories she had growing up came flooding back. I know to some people it’s just donuts but to her it wasn’t.”
However, less than a week after the Pioneer Press reported on his little business, on the eve of his 20th run to Iowa, Gonzalez got a call from Krispy Kreme’s Nebraska office. His operation was a liability for the company, a rep told him, and he needed to cease reselling, Gonzalez told his fans on Facebook.
“Hi all! I bear some bad news,” Gonzalez on Halloween. “Unfortunately the run for this Saturday will not be taking place, as I have been told I have to shut down operations,” he wrote.
His customers responded in mass: the post has over 500 comments from fans praising Gonzalez and his attempt to bring the good people of Minnesota their Krispy Kreme.
Then, following backlash by Gonzalez’s supporters, Krispy Kreme had a change of heart.
“UPDATE!!!” Gonzalez posted on Monday, “I have received a call directly from Krispy Kreme, and we are working together!”
He didn’t share details of the deal, or whether he’d be having to fork over some of his profits to the company. But it didn’t matter to his hungry followers. The post in just over an hour. Doughnut lovers from across the nation are now weighing in to congratulate him.
“Yay! Go Jayson Go!” wrote one local. “Please make your next run during the week so that I can purchase KK to bring to the office in celebration of your victory.”