Culture

College is a tough time for a lot of students. With the demands of school work, exams, rising debt, there’s not much that students can do to ease the pressure. Sure, there are house parties here and there but that kind of thrill wears off after a couple of hours. What college students really need during desperate times is support from friends and family, and more importantly good old comfort food. That kind of stuff really warms the heart, which makes sense why one student sacrificed his free time to make others feel good.

Jayson Gonzalez is a 21-year-old college student at Metropolitan State University in St. Paul, Minnesota, drove 270 miles to Iowa to buy Krispy Kreme doughnuts and sell them to students.

Credit: Krispy Kreme Run Minnesota / Facebook

Some of you reading this may take for granted that you live close to a Krispy Kreme or an In N’ Out, but for others, these eateries are hard to find and can’t easily access these favorites where they live. So, Gonzalez took it upon himself to drive from Minnesota to the closest Krispy Kreme in Ohio and serve his friends these hard-to-find goodies. CBS News reports that Minnesota hasn’t had a Krispy Kreme in 11 years.

A box of 12 dozen Krispy Kreme glazed doughnuts costs roughly between $8 and $12. Gonzalez’s customers would buy them for $17 to $20 a box. Some even paid $100.

Credit: Krispy Kreme Run Minnesota / Facebook

Gonzalez first had the idea in a pretty natural way. He was driving up Iowa to get some doughnuts for himself and was kind enough to ask others if they wanted some as well. His request, however, wasn’t to just those around him, but whoever saw his post on social media.

“I thought maybe someone else would want me to bring some up, so I posted it on Facebook Marketplace,” Gonzalez said in an interview with the Twin Cities Pioneer Press last week. “I kid you not, a couple days later, I had over 300 replies.” Well, who would turn down an offer like that?

Gonzalez saw his idea take off so quickly, he took his business idea even further and started a Facebook page to take more orders.

However, after Krispy Kreme found out about his money-making venture, they told him to stop all sales.

“Hi all!” Gonzalez told his followers last week. “I bear some bad news. Unfortunately, the run for this Saturday will not be taking place, as I have been told I have to shut down operations. I figured it would come eventually, but it arrived early with the surrounding articles. Life happens, and it could be a sign that something else it meant to be. I appreciate everyone’s love and support to make this happen, couldn’t have done it without you all. I would love to connect with some of you via LinkedIn if you wouldn’t mind! Also, you can add me on Facebook as well as maybe I will have another entrepreneurial adventure you will be interested in as I would love to follow some of you as well! Thanks everyone.” We love his entrepreneurial spirit!

Now it looks as if Krispy Kreme has had a change of heart and is looking to work with this young student.

“I am pumped to announce that I will be able to continue the business soon, and have the support of Krispy Kreme,” Gonzalez shared on Facebook. “They want to ensure I become an independent operator and make sure the brand is represented well. On both ends, there are things that are being worked on right now to achieve that as this is being made as a special exception. But nonetheless, we can get started up again soon once certain things are in place. This being said, I am definitely going to need a bigger vehicle with how much this has grown over the past few days. I know a couple of you have asked about a GoFundMe. I decided to create one because I won’t be able to cover the costs on my own I realize. Any donation would mean the world to me, no matter how small. Maybe I can decal it with some donut stickers! I am happy that things turned out positive, and this can continue to strive and grow over the next couple of years. I’ve said it before, and I will say it again. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone that has supported me on this journey.”

Click here to help him get a new car so he can continue earning that money for school!

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