Dunkin Donuts To Produce Croissant Donut Hybrid In U.S., Or Is It A ‘Cronut’?
Dunkin Donuts’ cronut — or is it a “croissant donut”? For those who live outside of New York City, this item might seem like a foreign word. The oddity known as a cronut was made popular in Brooklyn by Dominique Ansel Bakery. It was all the rage last year, earning its spot among the “25 best creations of 2013,” according to Wikipedia. The craze even led to a black market that sold the sugary treat for $100, despite its original price of $5.00.
Two separate bakers have laid claim to having creating “dosants” and “doughssants” from six to twenty-two years prior to Chef Dominique. So, what would bring Dunkin Donuts to the Cronut controversy? Well, for starters, Dunkin states they are not, in fact, “cronuts.”
The LA Times reports that Dunkin Donuts calls them “croissant donuts.” Dunkin’ Brands executive chef and vice president of culinary innovation Jeff Miller describes the new donut that may not be brand new.
“The Croissant Donut has 24 layers of buttery dough and is covered with the same sweet distinctive glaze used on our Glazed Donuts, creating the ultimate pastry that is crisp on the outside and soft and flaky on the inside.”
This all comes as Dunkin Donuts reported disappointing earnings in a recent report, according to Business Week. Dunkin Donuts argues it is not a “cronut”, but croissant donut that has been around for decades. In fact, Dunkin themselves made a “New York Pie” donut last year that is distributed throughout Korea.
The Inquisitr reported on this last December.
“A Dunkin’ Donuts cronut is now available, weeks after the cronut craze shook a desperate New York City to its core — and lines still rage as cronut hopefuls try to snag one of the still in demand pastries at the crack of dawn each day.”
The Dunkin “croissant donut” is set to hit November 3 at all of its 7,900 locations for $2.49. According to Business Week, the cronut-like Dunkin donut will be “made in limited quantities and served each day while supplies last.” It would appear that the Dunkin variation on the cronut could prove almost as elusive as the original(s).
Especially with its price being half of what the cronut will set you back, and on top of that it will be for a “limited time.”
Fox News confirmed that Dunkin Donuts is in no way copying the Dominique Ansel Bakery. The New York bakery released a statement to their legal team.
“From our understanding, Dunkin Donuts item is called a ‘croissant doughnut’. This is not an infringement on our trademark for Cronut™. There is a difference between any burger and the Big Mac; and any soda from Coke. And we appreciate large corporations that respect trademarks from small businesses, and distinguish their products appropriately to avoid customer confusion.”
So, what are your thoughts? Have you had a cronut? Will you be trying Dunkin’s croissant donut? Leave your thoughts and comments below.
[Image via Wikimedia Commons]
