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Why Krispy Kreme Can’t Fully Automate Its Donuts

Skilled donut decorators aren’t easy to replace with machines.

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Each day, Krispy Kreme locations produce thousands of donuts using sophisticated machinery developed directly by the company, but even this advanced operation can’t automate everything. This video explores how Krispy Kreme maintains high quality standards while maximizing efficiency using a combination of manufacturing know-how and skilled human donut decorators. 

Questions:

  1. Why does Krispy Kreme still rely on lots of human labor despite automating so many parts of the business?

  2. Do you think Krispy Kreme locations will ever become fully automated? Why or why not?