Whether you love it or hate it, airplane food is inextricably tied to many people's memories and culture. Many generations remember the start of family trips marked by a little bag of airplane peanuts. Of course, depending on one's airline and traveler class, in-flight meals can range from rubbery chicken to rare seasonal ingredients prepared by Michelin-starred chefs.
Another treat frequently tied to flying is the Biscoff cookie. A partnership with Delta (DAL) in the mid-1980s cemented their association as the "plane cookie" for generations of Americans. Coming at the end of an otherwise forgettable meal, the small packet of sweetness tended to stand out in travelers minds.
The cookie, originally developed in Belgium in the 1930s, is made with caramelized brown sugar and goes from very dry to soft when dipped into tea or coffee.
Both American Airlines (AAL) and United (UAL) quickly joined Delta and also started serving them onboard -- when the latter tried to replace Biscoffs with another cookie, the passenger outcry was so strong that they promptly brought them back and have not try messing with it since.
A Krispy Kreme Treat From Above
The cult following around the Biscoff cookie is strong -- there is a long-running Facebook (META) group called "Biscoff Addicts Anonymous" while some people resell variations of the cookie only available in Europe for big bucks in America eBay (EBAY).
Known for launching seasonal doughnut series inspired by popular snacks, Krispy Kreme (DNUT) is now tapping into the cult with the launch of its Biscoff Doughnut Collection -- three doughnuts made with the caramel spread that goes into Biscoff cookies.
Two of the doughnuts in the collection feature Krispy Kreme's classic Original Glazed Donut with Biscoff-flavored toppings -- the Biscoff Iced Doughnut is dipped in cookie butter icing while the Biscoff Cookie Butter Cheesecake Doughnut has the icing along with cream cheese buttercream and Biscoff cookie crumbles.
The Biscoff Cookie Butter Kreme Filled Doughnut, meanwhile, is a shell doughnut filled with Biscoff Cookie Butter Kreme and covered in cookie butter, a dark chocolate icing swirl and the Biscoff cookie crumble.
Krispy Kreme
The three doughnuts will be available at Krispy Kreme locations across the country from January 9 and until fans buy out what's available -- typically, these types of seasonal collections are available between three to six weeks.
The Love Of Both Krispy Kreme And Biscoff Cookies Runs Deep
"Our doughnuts made with Lotus Biscoff are popular around the world and it’s definitely time for our U.S. fans to get a taste," Krispy Kreme's Global Chief Brand Officer Dave Skena said in a press statement. "Both doughnut and cookie lovers will be amazed by this delicious combination."
Krispy Kreme has, over the years, launched several seasonal promotions inspired by nostalgic and beloved snacks -- last spring, it released three doughnuts inspired by General Mills (GIS)' Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal while in the summer there was the "hand reaching inside the ice cream cooler" series featuring classic Popsicle and Good Humor treats like the Firecracker and the Creamsicle.
Given how many generations grew up eating Biscoff on domestic flights (international ones often have different menus and treats), the cookie has also entered nostalgic territory. While some hard-core funs buy out Biscoffs in packages, most eat them exclusively while flying and will be intrigued to see them inside a Krispy Kreme.
"All of these bizarro cossover and mash-up items might sound a bit dystopian, but for fast-food chains, there are few things more effective than new products that are both somehow familiar and new at the same time," Adam Chandler, author of "Drive-Thru Dreams," told the BBC in 2019.
