It’s no secret that donuts continue to grow in popularity. In fact, this once for-breakfast-only treat has grown more than 120% in the last 10 years.* This makes donuts a smart staple for any bakery, sure to bring customers in your doors all day long. 

With National Donut Day coming up on June 2, get ready to make the most of the occasion. With proper planning and prep, you can push the limits of what you can do with the delicious donut.

1. Focus on Flavor

The first item on your to-do list? Create an assortment that focuses on seasonal flavors, regional selections and traditional favorites. June is the perfect time for a crossover of spring and summer flavors. And depending on where your bakery is located, regional ingredients like fruits and nuts will be popular additions.Source: Dawn Foods

When bringing new flavors into your bakery operation, consider options that make it easy on your staff to create. Starting with a flavored donut mix, such as the wide variety of options available from Dawn Foods, means less labor to prep and more consistent flavors. 

LTOs can drive sales and increase profits when done correctly. National Donut Day is a perfect time to create a special offering because seasonal flavors and event tie-ins are important aspects of a successful LTO.** Your offering could tie to a seasonal flavor or feature a unique recipe like a flavored cake donut, filled donut, fritter or Old Fashioned donut. These traditional favorites are making a comeback, especially in flavored varieties like cherry, chocolate, sour cream, salted caramel, blueberry, vanilla, and lemon. Now is the time to experiment—LTOs allow you to try out new recipes to gauge consumer interest before committing to the creation long-term.

Need help with recipe inspiration? Dawn Foods has created a seasonal inspirational guide for Spring/Summer 2023 with a variety of seasonal donut recipes. You can download the guide here. 

3. Elevate Your Packaging

Source: Dawn Foods

Draw attention to your National Donut Day offerings by investing in packaging that celebrates the occasion. Dawn Foods offers its customers a comprehensive “You Deserve a Donut” program that helps bakeries package and merchandise their donut program for maximum impact.

4. Ramp Up Your Marketing

Start to market your National Donut Day promotions as soon as you’re ready. You don’t need to wait until June. Take advantage of window and door clings, posters and fun standees available to customers from Dawn. 

Don’t underestimate the power of marketing on your social media platforms. Build a photo library of your donuts to use online, on social media, and in customer emails.

5. Train your Team

Once your product and marketing plans are in place, don’t forget your most important sales tool—your people. Train them on the new donut recipes and help them to understand flavor profiles. Think about arming them as part of your social media team by giving them suggested posts and pictures they can share on their own platforms.

Source: Dawn Foods

Step by Step Checklist

1.) I’ve developed my new recipes—seasonal, regional, and traditional

2). I have LTOs lined up

3). I’m incorporating new packaging and merchandising tools 

4). My marketing plan is in place and I’m building my product photo library of assets

5). My team is trained and ready to help market and sell our donuts for National Donut Day 

Dawn is here to help to make National Donut Day a success for your bakery. To learn more or start a program customized around your business, contact us or your Dawn Foods sales representative today.

 *Datassential Menu Trends SNAP food profile 2023

** Datassential LTO Keynote 2022