On National Donut Day, Dawn Foods announced its Donut 2.0 project in recognition of the company’s upcoming 100th anniversary in 2020.
Dawn Foods, a global manufacturer and ingredients supplier, partners with more than 40,000 artisanal and retail bakers, food service leaders and manufacturers located in more than 100 countries and has 5,000 team members.
For nearly 100 years, Dawn has helped bakers push boundaries and deliver original tastes and flavors to their customers. In honor of its 100th anniversary, Dawn will unveil a new doughnut concept to “delight consumers and drive the industry for years to come.”
Starting June 25, Dawn Foods will bring five award-winning pastry chefs together to compete for their chance to partner with Dawn to create a groundbreaking new doughnut texture at the company’s Innovation Studio in Jackson, Mich. The chefs include James Beard award recipients and chefs from Michelin star restaurants.
“Donuts are in our DNA. Dawn developed the first industrial donut mix nearly 100 years ago and today, this innovative and entrepreneurial spirit continues to drive our thinking,” said Dawn Foods CEO Carrie Jones-Barber. “Consumers are looking for new experiences with traditional classics. We know the donut is undergoing a fun, exciting revival and no one is better poised than Dawn to take the opportunity to deliver on this. Through Dawn’s Donut 2.0 project, our goal is to help our bakery customers wow consumers with a new donut they’ve never seen before.”
The pastry chefs will showcase their concepts side-by-side to a panel of judges, including Miles Jones, Chairman of the Board and former R&D Director, Chief Marketing Officer Angie Goldberg, Sr. Director of Global Market Research & Insights Jennifer LaPaugh, Director of Research and Development Ben Brue and V.P National Technical Sales Paul Caske. Judging criteria for each chef will include taste, texture, creativity and originality, appearance and feasibility.
The five Donut 2.0 pastry chefs include:
- Chef Sharyn Harding – Executive Pastry Chef, Heirloom Hospitality, Detroit
- Chef Sandra Holl – Owner and Executive Pastry Chef, Floriole Café & Bakery, Chicago
- Chef Jove Hubbard – Executive Pastry Chef, Chicago Athletic Association
- Chef Mathew Rice – Executive Pastry Chef, Niche Food Group, Nashville
- Chef Toni Roberts – Executive Pastry Chef, the Wit Hotel, Chicago
“Donut mashups are more popular than ever,” said Dawn Foods Senior Application Chef Melissa Trimmer. “Similar to the hit phenomena around the Cronut, consumers are looking for more mashups and ‘new’ takes on old favorites. This contest brings together some of the most talented pastry chefs around the country with the skills and determination to discover the next donut sensation.”
Following the competition, the winning chef will return to the Innovation Studio and work together with Dawn’s R&D team to transform their concept into a commercial mix for bakers. Then, the new doughnut prototype will hit shelves in early 2020.
The Donut 2.0 program is the latest example of Dawn’s commitment to delivering fresh ideas and innovative thinking to help their customers continue to grow and thrive. Recently, Dawn released its Gourmet Donuts offerings, which includes 12 new unique donut recipes for customers to create unique donuts from materials they use daily to increase profitability and drive repeat sales from consumers.
