bake - December 2018 - 9

new product success

Wild About

DONUTS
Three different donut concepts - all newcomers to the Kansas
City scene - are battling it out for the city's favorite donut.
Duck Donuts, Hurts Donut Co. and The Dapper Doughnut
exemplify the present and future of the retail donut business,
which continues to capture the imagination of America.
The fast-growing Duck Donuts franchise opened its ﬁrst
store in Kansas earlier this year in Leawood, featuring its
widely popular made-to-order donuts and a new store format
designed to visually enhance the customer experience. Owned
by Katie and Ryan McNeil, the store is located at the Ranch
Mart Shopping Center in Leawood, an affluent suburb of
Kansas City.
Inspired by National Pickle Day on Nov. 14, Hurts Donut devel"It's a great concept that we fell in love with immediately," says

oped the Pickle Donut, a yeast donut that is stuffed with a

Ryan McNeil, who discovered Duck Donuts with his wife while

pickle cheesecake ﬁlling, dipped in vanilla icing, sprinkled

visiting family in Charlotte, North Carolina. "It's a fresh, warm,

with dried dill, and then topped with pickle juice cubes. Hurts

made-to-order donut, and it's something we found with our

Donut co-owner Tim Clegg recalls the early trials and errors of

family, our kids, everybody was so excited about because there

offering any crazy topping - potato chips, Cheetos, all types

is nothing really like it, especially in Kansas City right now."

of sugar cereals - they may imagine. "At ﬁrst, it didn't matter
what we put on a donut. It sold." Top sellers now include maple

Kristin Kellum, public relations manager for Duck Donuts, says

bacon bars, cotton candy donuts, and any assorted toppings

key design features of the new store format include a customer

ranging from breakfast cereal to Nutella.

facing topping table, open ceiling plan with colorful lighting
ﬁxtures and fans, counters accented with cedar shake, and an

The most recent newcomer to the Kansas City area is The

updated coffee bar featuring a reclaimed oak wood accent

Dapper Doughnut, a Las Vegas-based operator established in

wall. The chain has grown to 68 franchise locations with 130

2016. Dapper Doughnut held its grand opening in September at

additional contracts in 23 states.

its newest store in the Legends Outlets in Kansas City, Kansas.
As a teenager, franchise and food and beverage veteran Jeff

In 2013, Duck Donuts opened its ﬁrst franchise store in

Pappas grew up going to Schultz's farm in Armonk, New York,

Williamsburg, Virginia, the same year that Hurts Donut Co.

to grab a hot, fresh donut every weekend. Fast forward to 2015

opened its ﬁrst store in Springﬁeld, Missouri.

when he decided to franchise such a business by seeking a

JOHN UNREIN

successful (fresh made to order) donut company. He joined
Hurts Donut Co., based in Springﬁeld, calls itself "the rebel

forces with Jimmy Nuccio and Gabriel Wiesen of Chicago's

of all donuts" and boasts 19 locations, including its newest

award-winning Beavers Coffee & Donuts to develop a new

in Kansas City at the Ward Parkway Center. Examples of its

foodservice concept revolving around mini donuts with a wide

extreme ﬂavors (there are more than 70 on the menu) include

variety of toppings. The Dapper Doughnut was born. Today,

Oreo Cheesecake and the Cosmic Brownie.

there are nearly 30 retail stores across the country.

bakemag.com | DEC 2018 > 09

http://www.bakemag.com

bake - December 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of bake - December 2018