It's good for the little guy to win one on occasion.

Mmmm, Doughnuts
Originally uploaded by nep.

(AP) Winona, Minn. Goliath has lost the Winona, Minn. doughnut war.

Krispy Kreme has taken its products off store shelves less than two years of trying to gain a foothold in the area. Locally owned Bloedow Bakery now has the Winona doughnut market cornered.

"Winona loves Bloedow's, period," said Midtown Foods co-owner Tom Thompson.

Midtown has had no complaints since pulling Krispy Kreme products from its stores several weeks ago, Thompson said.

Tracy Clementi, the marketing director for Glazed Investments, which owns Krispy Kreme franchises in Onalaska, Wis., and Rochester said the company stopped making deliveries three or four weeks ago because of insufficient sales in Winona stores.

Bloedow co-owner Mary Polus said she doesn't think Krispy Kreme had much effect her sales from the 80-year old Broadway bakery. Polus and her husband, Hugh, bought the business Jan. 1.

"They just taste better," said Tricia Cummings while buying a box of Bloedow's Monday. "I would rather buy doughnuts from a small local store than from a big chain."

Krispy Kreme, based in Winston-Salem, N.C., makes more than 2.7 billion doughnuts a year. Their products are sold in more than 360 stores in the United States and abroad. The company posted revenues of $666 million in 2004.

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