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A major hacking attack on Krispy Kreme in November affected more than 160,000 people, the doughnut maker said on Thursday.

The company disclosed Thursday that the data breach affected mostly Krispy Kreme employees, former employees and members of their families, all of whom are being sent notifications.

Krispy Kreme’s cybersecurity filings Thursday said the hackers accessed and stole files containing the sensitive personal information of at least 161,676 individuals.

That includes at least 19,665 North Carolinians, according to the Krispy Kreme security breach report to the N.C. Attorney General’s Office.

Krispy Kreme said its investigation was completed May 22, and that its notification “has not been delayed as the result of a law enforcement investigation.”

Krispy Kreme said in its disclosure that “we will be providing detailed information specific to their data” to affected individuals.

The company said information subject to unauthorized access varies by individual, but may include personal identification, financial accounts, biometric data, health insurance information, and username and password.

“Importantly, we have no reports that the criminals have used any information for identity theft or fraud as a result of this incident,” the company said.

Krispy Kreme is offering credit monitoring and identity protection services at no cost to affected individuals. Enrollment information will be in the notice letters.

For more information on the data breach, call (866) 461-2984 between 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Central Time on weekdays.

Krispy Kreme disclosed in February that it had an $11 million financial impact in the fourth quarter from the hacking incident that at that time mostly affected customers’ ability to place digital and online orders.

Krispy Kreme said some of the $11 million is expected to be covered by cybersecurity insurance.

Law firm’s response

Murphy Law Firm, based in Oklahoma City, said it plans to pursue a class-action lawsuit against Krispy Kreme related to the data breach and is soliciting potential lead plaintiffs.

The law firm said the ransomware group known as Play took credit for the attack, claiming to have stolen 184 gigabytes worth of data, including personal information, client documents and financial information.

To put the data breach exposure into context, a gigabyte is a unit of digital information storage equivalent to 1 billion bytes.

The group claims to have made this data public on their Tor-based leak website in December.

“As a result of the data breach, these individuals’ personal and highly sensitive information may be in the hands of cybercriminals, who can place the information for sale on the dark web or use the information to perpetrate identity theft,” the law firm said.

Krispy Kreme vs. McDonald’s

Krispy Kreme already is facing at least one federal lawsuit accusing the company of misleading investors with its recent financial performance, particularly as it relates to a partnership with fast food giant McDonald’s.

The common theme among the lawsuits filed to date is that Krispy Kreme made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the company’s business, operations and prospects.

The typical lawsuit coverage period is Feb. 25 and May 7.

Krispy Kreme reported May 8 that it was pausing an expansion of the McDonald’s partnership as part of a first-quarter earnings report that also included ending a quarterly dividend payment and withdrawing its fiscal 2025 financial guidance.

Krispy Kreme and McDonald’s unveiled in October 2022 “a small operations test” in which three flavors of doughnuts would be delivered fresh daily from one of Krispy Kreme’s three restaurant locations in Louisville to nine McDonald’s locations.

In March 2024, the companies announced taking their in-store partnership nationwide via a phased rollout that began in the second half of 2024 and was projected to be completed by the end of 2026.

As of March 31, 2025, there are more than 2,400 participating locations, primarily in the Midwest, but with at least 500 in the greater New York City area.

There had been plans to reach about 6,000 McDonald’s locations by the end of 2025 and more than 12,000 by the end of 2026.

However, Krispy Kreme said in its May 8 news release it “is reassessing the deployment schedule together with McDonald’s while it works to achieve a profitable business model for all parties.”

A grocery store in the Triad is set to close.

Representatives with Lowes Foods told WXII its location at 2890 Reynolda Road will be closing in early July. An exact date was not given.

They also said the lease on the store was up for renewal and they made the decision to close it.

Lowes Foods has several other locations in Winston-Salem, including one on Robinhood Road and Peters Creek Parkway.

Representatives haven't said how many employees are impacted. But said they are working with the 20 stores in the Piedmont Triad, including King, Lewisville, Clemmons, Kernersville and Bermuda Run, to help employees at the Reynolda Road location find similar positions.

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Winston-Salem will get an early start on summer this week, forecasters say.

Spring doesn’t officially end until Friday, but it will feel more like August in the region beginning Wednesday.

Heat-index readings on Wednesday and Thursday could top 100 degrees in Winston-Salem, Greensboro and other areas in the region. Actual temperatures could reach the mid-90s over the weekend, the National Weather Service warned Monday.

The heat index incorporates air temperature and humidity to determine how hot it actually feels. That’s important because humid air already filled with moisture which makes it difficult for the human body to cool itself naturally through the evaporation of sweat.

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Experts warn that high heat-index readings can be especially dangerous early in the season because the body has not had a chance to adapt to hot conditions.

Actual temperatures will hit 90 for the first time this year, with some areas hitting that threshold as early as Tuesday, the weather service said.

Overall, the forecast calls for daily temperatures of 90 degrees or more Tuesday through Sunday.

Another round of showers and thunderstorms is likely in the area Tuesday afternoon and evening, and there is a 30% to 50% chance of rain and storms Wednesday and Thursday along with the hot, muggy conditions.

Sunny skies – and lower humidity – are expected for the weekend with highs of 90 on Friday, 92 on Saturday and 95 Sunday, the weather service predicted.

Normal highs in the Triad for mid-June are in the upper 80s.

John.Deem@lee.net 336-727-7301

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One of the 2,000 “No Kings” nationwide protests took place in High Point on Saturday. Demonstrators say they’re speaking out against the Trump administration's actions.

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HIGH POINT, N.C. —

In response to President Donald Trump’s military parade commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States Army, more than 2,000 protests took place nationwide. The parade also coincides with Trump’s 79th birthday.

The “No Kings” protests were seen across North Carolina, including several in the Triad. Hundreds stood and marched at the “No Kings” demonstration in High Point Saturday.

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Protestors expressed a variety of concerns related to actions taken by the Trump administration. Many voiced their disapproval of big agenda items such as Trump’s mass deportation policy, tariffs, and potential legislation that would cut Medicaid and provide tax breaks for wealthy Americans.

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Several demonstrators said they’re concerned about the country being transformed in a negative way.

"It feels like people have been asleep for a long time,” demonstrator Mary McInerney said while holding a large American flag. “And now they're starting to wake up and say, ‘hey, wait a second. What happened to the country I grew up in? This isn't it.’"

"I served this country honorably,” military veteran Hubert Smith said. “I love this country, but I don't like what they're trying to turn our country into. We don't have dictators in America."

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Organizers said they hope the large mobilization effort sends a message.

"Their voice is powerful,” Tyler Beall, an organizer with Indivisible Guilford County, said. “Showing up, just being active, engaged and present in a moment is sometimes all you have to do to be a voice of conscience or clarity or, just to be your own individual."

Other Triad cities saw “No Kings” demonstrations, including Winston-Salem, Lexington, Elkin, and Sparta. In Virginia, they took place in Galax, Martinsville, and Danville.

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JOHN DEEM

Winston-Salem Journal, N.C.

(TNS)

The union leader for Winston-Salem firefighters is accusing city administrators of retaliating against him and his members by expediting a council vote on proposed changes to vacation and sick time that they oppose.

The new policy would essentially cut paid leave in half for Winston-Salem Fire Department firefighters.

City Manager Pat Pate has said he wants to bring the department’s vacation and sick time more in line with neighboring departments while also adjusting pay scales to be more competitive.

At a June 9 Committee of the Whole meeting, in which council members essentially lay out the agenda for their next regular gathering, Assistant City Manager Sharon Wojda provided a detailed timeline — accompanied by a PowerPoint slide — for next steps on the proposed changes.

A schedule presented June 9 for bringing proposed changes in vacation and sick time for Winston-Salem firefighters to city council listed Sept. 2 as the expected date. However, the item is on council's Monday agenda.

That schedule called for proposed policy revisions on firefighter leave to be brought to the General Government Committee in August, then to the full council for approval in September.

However, a resolution to make the changes now is on Monday’s council agenda.

“After the ( June 9) Committee of the Whole meeting, staff was asked to bring these changes to Council for adoption in June with the other personnel resolution changes,” according to an “action request form” accompanying the agenda item.

Inclusion of the firefighter leave resolution caught Perry Parrinello, president of the local firefighters union and a vocal critic of the changes, off guard.

He noted that because public comments are only welcome at council’s first meeting of the month, there will be no opportunity for him and others to express their opposition at Monday’s meeting.

“This ... seems like retaliation, giving me no time to speak to council (about how) we still do not like this proposal,” said Parrinello, a Winston-Salem firefighter who has spoken against the proposal at previous meetings.

Monday’s meeting agenda also doesn’t specify that the item deals with firefighter pay specifically.

“Resolution Amending Sections 30 and 44 of the City of Winston-Salem Personnel Resolution,” it reads.

“That’s been their M.O. this whole time,” Parrinello said. “Lots of sneaky language, timelines, etc.”

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