The Artemis II moon mission may help answer the question, “Are we alone?”
NASA’s Artemis II mission is in the final stages of preparation for the first manned trip to the moon in more than 50 years.
Krispy Kreme is launching limited edition Artemis II donuts just in time to celebrate NASA’s planned launch of Artemis II on April 1st.
The donut chain announced that the specialty treat will be sold at Krispy Kreme stores nationwide from March 31st to April 2nd. The donuts are the brand’s original glazed option with a “bold new look” inspired by upcoming NASA missions.
To create the new look, the donuts are dipped in blue vanilla-flavored icing, sprinkled with a mix of Oreo Crunch and white nonpareils, and topped with cookies-and-cream-flavored buttercream and a red chevron inspired by the NASA logo, according to Krispy Kreme.
“The dream of enjoying a Krispy Kreme donut on the moon is about to take a big step forward, and we are fully committed to it,” the chain said in a March 27 news release.
“Big moments bring people together, and nothing is bigger than humanity’s return to deep space,” Alison Holder, Krispy Kreme’s chief brand and product officer, said in a statement. “We’ve given the iconic Original Glazed Donut a mission-worthy makeover so fans can celebrate Artemis II in a fun and delicious way with history.”
How to purchase Krispy Kreme’s Artemis II donuts
Artemis II donuts will be available at participating Krispy Kreme stores nationwide from March 31st to April 2nd.
The limited-edition donuts will also be available as part of the Artemis II Specialty Dozen, which features six Artemis II donuts and six Original Glazed donuts, “because every historic launch deserves a classic onboard,” the brand said.
Krispy Kreme also touted its “history of helping Americans celebrate humanity’s greatest achievements in space exploration and other space-related events,” recalling that the brand served fresh, original glazed donuts at NASA’s Apollo 11 launch in 1969 and NASA’s Perseverance rover landing on Mars in 2021.
In addition to serving donuts during supermoons and total solar eclipses over the years, the brand commemorated NASA’s Artemis I mission in 2022 with an Artemis Moon donut.
The price for a single Artemis II Donut or Artemis II Specialty Dozen is unknown. USA TODAY reached out to Krispy Kreme on March 28 for more information.
Gabe Hauari is USA TODAY’s national trends news reporter. You can follow him at X @gabehauari Or email Gdhauari@gannett.com.
