logo
Randy's Donuts vs. Krispy Kreme — Who is Japan's king of glazed donuts?

Randy's Donuts vs. Krispy Kreme — Who is Japan's king of glazed donuts?

SoraNews2416-05-2025
Can the new kid's donuts topple a fan-favorite? We put both to the test in a head-to-head comparison.
Just the other day, we reported that Los Angeles-founded donut chain Randy's Donuts has opened its first ever store in Japan in Daikanyama, Tokyo.
We were so excited to try the new contender to Japan's donut scene, we rushed out to try a selection of what they have to offer.
However, it got us thinking about the other donut chains in the country and how these donuts fare against each other. Doing what any good reporter does (that is if all good reporters use any excuse to eat more delicious food) we went to Krispy Kreme to pick up some donuts to compare to the Randy's donuts we received for a press preview.
Our donut of choice for this experiment was the humble glazed donut, because if you can't do a basic donut right, then why bother with the rest of them? Plus, it's easier to get an idea of the true value of a donut when the flavors are kept simple. For example, Randy's Apple Fritter is coated in an amount of sugar that feels like it has reached dangerous (if delicious) proportions, so much so that it doesn't really lend itself to comparison with anything else.
One thing we can be certain of is that Randy's has not attempted to adapt their donuts to fit in line with Japanese tastes. Let's find out how that has turned out for them in our little taste test.
But first, a closer look at today's competitors. In the challenger corner, we have Randy's Glazed Raised (360 yen [US$2.50]), a traditional yeast donut, with a light, fluffy texture, coated in a sugary glaze. It is both their flagship item and their most popular.
On the other side, we have the local defender of glazed donuts, Krispy Kreme's Original Glazed (216 yen for takeout). Similarly, it's a yeast donut with a glaze coating. The Original Glazed is such a well-known and established donut that many Japanese people, even fans of other donut brands, would say that when they're craving glazed donuts specifically they head to Krispy Kreme. Like the Glazed Raised, the Original Glazed is also Krispy Kreme's best-selling and signature item.
To make this showdown fair, we rounded up three donut connoisseurs from our office —also known as whomever happened to be nearby and was feeling slightly peckish— and put the two donuts side-by-side.
Looking at both of them together, Randy's Glazed Raised is significantly larger, makin the higher price feel like not as significant a factor as it could have been. At least for size, you get what you pay for, so at this stage they're roughly equal.
What really matters, though, is the taste, and this is where the differences shone through. Despite being similar donuts on paper, the flavors were quite distinct from each other.
Seiji Nakazawa: I prefer Randy's. It's bigger, so you can really taste the wheat. The dough of Krispy's donut feels like it loses out to the glaze. Not that it isn't tasty.
Ikuna Kamezawa: I also like Randy's. How should I put it? It's more… bread-like, I guess you could say? I love how filling it is. But it's just a matter of taste, isn't it?
P.K. Sanjun: I'm team Krispy. The dough is finer and smoother. Plus, its chewiness is something Randy's lacks. Randy's donut is good, but the lighter Krispy gets my vote.
With the taste completed, the results are in: Randy's wins the challenge at 2–1, but it's just like what Ikuna was saying: deliciousness is on the tongue of the taster. Both are quite fluffy, but Krispy Kreme's is lighter, while Randy's offers more thickness and a satisfying bite.
A result like this is a great sign for the newcomer to Japan, going to show that, despite not having altered their popular recipe for the Japanese palate, they more than match up to Krispy Kreme's Original Glazed in taste. Our ultimate conclusion, though, is that both signature donuts are delicious and we'd be happy to eat either one of them. While Randy's Donuts has many visually impactful donuts, don't forget about the Glazed Raised if you swing by.
Photos ©SoraNews24
● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
[ Read in Japanese ]
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Our interest spikes as Haikyu head anime sweets arrive in Japanese convenience stores【Taste test】
Our interest spikes as Haikyu head anime sweets arrive in Japanese convenience stores【Taste test】

SoraNews24

time16 hours ago

  • SoraNews24

Our interest spikes as Haikyu head anime sweets arrive in Japanese convenience stores【Taste test】

Hinata and Kageyama become super-deformed, super-cute sweets at Family Mart. Nit that we ever need all that much convincing to make a convenience store snack run, but Family Mart is nonetheless offering some extra incentive to make themselves the destination of choice this month. The Japanese convenience store chain is currently running a collaboration promotion with hit sports anime/manga Haikyu, and if you buy two or more specially marked items within the store, while supplies last you'll receive one of four clear files featuring the sporty young men of Karasuno, Aoba Johsai, and Shiratorizawa high schools. However, if you're looking for a way to more directly combine your loves for Haikyu and snacks, Family Mart has that too. Manju, also called omanju, are Japanese sweet dumplings. Usually, they're basic buns with a dome shape, but right now Family Mart's shelves are also stocked with Hinata and Kageyama Omanju combo packs, named after Haikyu leads Shoyo Hinata and Tobio Kageyama. Rather than trying to match the characters' normal anime models, Hinata and Kageyama are rendered in a super-deformed style, which turns out to be a great fit for the more-or-less round shape of manju. With quite a bit of contouring, though, the facial features and hairstyling still leave no doubt for fans over who inspired these sweets. Flipping the package over to the back, we were happy to see Yamazaki Baking (山崎製パン) listed as the maker of these manju. Yamazaki has been one of Japan's favorite confectioners for generations, having earned a reputation for quality and satisfying deliciousness even when they're not getting an assist from anime stars. The super-deformed aesthetics also helped to dispel some of the guilt one often feels before biting into an edible rendition of a beloved character, since they don't look exactly like the 'real' Hinata and Kageyama. Slicing them in half with a knife, though, still had us feeling a little like monsters. ▼ Nooooooo! Still, this was the only way to get a nice, clean cut for our cross-section photos, and to show that there's a generous ratio of smooth anko (sweet red bean paste) to cake here. Flavor-wise, they're everything you could hope for in manju. Sweet and flavorful without battering your taste buds with sugariness, and an invitingly soft texture that imparts a sense of comfort and relaxation. Our only regret was not having a cup of coffee or green tea ready to sip between bites. The Hinata and Kageyama Omanju are priced at 185 yen (US$1.25) per pack of two, and will be on sale for a limited time while supplies last. Photos ©SoraNews24 Clear file image: PR Times ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! [ Read in Japanese ]

Bugs Are Popular Pets in Nature-Loving Japan, Buzzing with Lessons about Ecology and Species
Bugs Are Popular Pets in Nature-Loving Japan, Buzzing with Lessons about Ecology and Species

Yomiuri Shimbun

timea day ago

  • Yomiuri Shimbun

Bugs Are Popular Pets in Nature-Loving Japan, Buzzing with Lessons about Ecology and Species

TOKYO (AP) — The pet of choice in Japan, as much as cuddly kitties and playful puppies, is the humble bug. The bug has been a key part of Japanese culture from the Heian era classic 'The Tale of Genji' to popular modern-day manga and animation like 'Mushishi,' featuring insect-like supernatural creatures. Japanese people appreciate the glitter of fireflies let loose in the garden or the gentle chirping of crickets kept in a little cage. You can feed the bug pets watermelon, but special jelly pet food for bugs is also available at stores. Naturally, bugs are on sale as well, with the more esoteric ones selling for 20,000 yen ($133). Here, crawly and buzzing critters are not just relegated to the scientific realm of the entomologist working on a taxidermy of pinned butterflies. Celebrities boast about their fascination with bug-hunting as their hobbies just like a Western movie star might talk about his yacht or golf score. The bug as companion is an essential part of what's observed, enjoyed and cared for in everyday life, reflecting a deeply rooted celebration of humankind's oneness with nature. 'They are so tiny. If you catch and study them, you're sure to discover something new,' says Munetoshi Maruyama, professor of bioenvironmental sciences at Kyushu University, whose fascination with bugs began as a child, like many Japanese. 'They are so beautiful in shape and form.' One thrill that comes from studying insects is discovering a new species, simply because there are more than 1.2 million known kinds of insects, far more than mammals, which translates to a lot of undiscovered ones, said Maruyama, who has discovered 250 new insect species himself and shrugs that off as a relatively small number. Japan differs from much of the West in encouraging interaction with bugs from childhood, with lots of books written for children, as well as classes and tours. 'In Japan, kids love bugs. You can even buy a net at a convenience store,' he said. 'It's fantastic that bugs can serve as a doorway to science.' The fact some insects go through metamorphoses, transforming from a larva to a butterfly, for instance, adds to the excitement, allowing kids to observe the stages of a life span, Maruyama said. Tracing the movement of bugs can be a way to study global warming, too, while so-called 'social insects,' like bees and ants show intelligence in how they communicate, remember routes to find their way back to their nests or burrow elaborate underground paths as colonies. Because bugs carry out important functions in the ecosystem, such as pollinating crops and becoming food for birds and other wildlife, human life isn't ultimately sustainable if all bugs were to disappear from earth. The love affair with bugs was clear at an exhibit in Tokyo, aptly called 'The Great Insect Exhibition,' running through the end of this month at the Sky Tree Tower, where crowds of children gathered around trees inside indoor cages so they could observe and touch the various beetles. One kind of rhinoceros beetle known as Hercules, which originated in the Caribbean but is now also found in Japan, is reputed to be the biggest beetle on record, although it's just several inches in length. Its back coat is a shiny khaki color, though such shades change depending on the season. The other parts, like its horn and delicate but spiky legs, are dark. 'We want the kids to feel the emotions and joy of actually touching the insects here. That's really positive for the workings of a child's brain,' said Toyoji Suzuki, one of the event's organizers, who insisted everyone, including adults, touch the bottom of the beetles' horns and wings to feel how surprisingly soft and fluffy they are. Four-year-old Asahi Yamauchi, who was at the exhibit with his grandmother and getting his photo taken inside a special installation that made it look like he was inside a beetle, loves bugs as much as he loves dinosaurs and has what he called a cute beetle as a pet at home. 'My friend had one so I wanted one,' he said.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store