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Krispy Kreme has announced a global brand licensing partnership with The Pokémon Company International to launch the Pokémon Doughnut Collection.
Entering participating retail locations on 18 August 2026 for a limited time, the collaboration celebrates 30 years of the Pokémon franchise with six character-themed doughnut SKUs, limited-edition beverage cups, custom multi-pack boxes, and experiential in-store promotions.
The release illustrates ongoing QSR promotional strategies where high-equity entertainment intellectual property (IP) and multi-category limited-time offerings (LTOs) are deployed to stimulate store footfall, accelerate digital pre-orders, and increase average ticket sizes.
30th Anniversary
The partnership combines Krispy Kreme's core doughnut formulations with visual assets from five iconic Pokémon characters alongside the brand's signature Poké Ball design.
Pre-orders for the limited-edition dozen boxes opened via Krispy Kreme's direct-to-consumer e-commerce portal and mobile application on 13 August 2026, ahead of in-shop and delivery availability starting 18 August.
Alison Holder, Chief Brand and Product Officer at Krispy Kreme, stated that the development strategy focused on translating Pokémon character attributes into distinct flavour profiles and custom packaging to celebrate the franchise's 30-year milestone.
Product Lineup and Flavours
The limited-time bakery collection introduces six distinct doughnut variations featuring character-inspired coatings, fillings, and decorative toppings:
🌿 Bulbasaur Doughnut: An Original Glazed doughnut dipped in vanilla-flavoured icing, topped with green frosting and a Bulbasaur chocolate piece.
🔥 Charmander Doughnut: An unglazed shell doughnut filled with chocolate and toasted marshmallow flavoured creme, dipped in orange caramel icing, finished with red and gold sugar sparks, and topped with a Charmander piece.
💧 Squirtle Doughnut: An Original Glazed doughnut piped with cotton candy-flavoured buttercream, dipped in blue sanding sugar and nonpareils, and topped with a surfing Squirtle piece.
⚡ Pikachu Doughnut: An unglazed shell doughnut filled with lemon-flavoured Kreme, dipped in yellow vanilla icing, decorated with chocolate drizzle and nonpareils, and topped with a Pikachu piece.
🎤 Jigglypuff Doughnut: An Original Glazed doughnut piped with strawberry-flavoured buttercream, sprinkled with strawberry-flavoured cookie crumble, and topped with a Jigglypuff piece.
🔴 Poké Ball Doughnut: An Original Glazed doughnut dipped in vanilla-flavoured icing and red sprinkles, finished with piped chocolate icing.
Where are they available?
To support transaction volume and multi-item basket additions throughout the promotional campaign, Krispy Kreme is deploying custom merchandise and in-store event mechanics:
Special-Edition Beverage Packaging: Introducing a Pokémon-themed collectable cup available across five distinct character designs, filled with 10 Original Glazed Gold Dots.
Custom Dozen Box Design: Formatted in dedicated 30th-anniversary packaging featuring character artwork to encourage multi-pack purchases for group gatherings.
Experiential Customer Promotion: On Saturday, 22 August 2026, participating shops will host a fan engagement event offering a free Original Glazed doughnut to customers visiting in-shop or drive-thru locations wearing Pokémon attire.
The multi-channel execution highlights how QSR operators combine character licensing, packaging customization, digital order-ahead channels, and targeted in-store events to maximize retail velocity during key trading windows.
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