National Donut Day is June 3, which is the perfect opportunity to capitalize on the growing popularity of donuts. According to recent research (1), the donut market is expected to grow by more than $5 billion from 2020 to 2025, with 35 percent of that growth originating in North America.
While many factors are driving this growth, one critical driver is the consumer desire to have moments of escape, where every indulgent bite counts. “This idea of Blissful Indulgence – one of the top consumer trends (2) identified by Dawn Foods – shows us that today’s consumers are willing to take breaks throughout their day to reward themselves and slow down,” said Traci Maginn, Dawn Foods Director of Marketing Communications.
For bakeries, this consumer mindset means one thing - donuts should become a strategic part of any assortment, showcasing the flavors and forms that customers are currently craving. From traditional glazed to on-trend options that highlight emerging flavors like Matcha, marketing donuts means growing profits.
“At Dawn Foods, we’ve worked with customers to develop a robust donut program that drives sales and customer engagement,” added Maginn. And while Dawn’s efforts are ramping up for National Donut Day with dynamic tools like social media assets and an engaging Snapchat filter, the “You Deserve a Donut” campaign is available for Dawn customers year round.
Making the Most of Donuts
For bakers ready to boost their sales with an expanded donut offering, there are a few best practices Dawn always recommends:
1. Start with Refreshed Recipes
“We encourage bakers to plan a donut menu that reflects what consumers want,” Maginn said. “This means adding some new flavors, perfecting traditional favorites, and looking into trends like vegan donuts.” Bakeries can tap Dawn Foods for support in their recipe refresh (3).
2. Get Social
Adding marketing to the mix builds excitement and real-time word of mouth, creating momentum for your bakery. With all the assets available from Dawn Foods as part of the “You Deserve a Donut” program, hitting the ground running is easy. Dawn’s social media posts can be downloaded with one click or bakeries can create their own graphics with Dawn’s online asset tool. Just select a background, import photos, add text, and bakers have colorful, eye-catching social posts for their favorite platforms.
Bakeries can then layer in their own marketing and social media efforts. “We’ve seen bakeries hold contests between two donut flavors, have flash sales on their biggest sellers to increase traffic at certain times of day, and bundle donuts with other top sellers,” said Maginn.
Also consider targeting local media to provide advance coverage for National Donut Day. “This day gets national media exposure,” Maginn added. “It makes perfect sense to work with local media outlets to highlight everything available to consumers.”
3. Involve Customers
People love to share the moments of their lives, and enjoying a mid-day donut is no exception. Bakeries should encourage their customers to snap and share their donuts with their followers. #youdeserveadonut has been used thousands of times, #nationaldonutday has more than 600,000 tags, and custom bakery hashtags are increasingly popular. For customers who tag bakeries, reshare those posts for maximum impact. When customers feel important to the bakery, they’ll become more loyal and help grow the business over time.
4. Plan for Success
Start planning now for National Donut Day and beyond. In addition to the “You Deserve a Donut” program, Dawn can also offer technical support for new products or recipes and work with bakeries to help train their teams. “At Dawn, we take a holistic approach with our customers,” added Maginn. “This means everything from recommending the best products to optimizing the assortment and working with the staff to ensure that the final products deliver what they promise.”
Dawn also offers seasonal inspiration guides (4) that tap into the flavors and ingredients that consumers look for at certain times of the year. Bakeries can leverage these ideas for donuts all year long. “The recipes may not be donut-specific,” said Maginn. “But the insights can be used for any product. Knowing that chocolate and citrus are popular in winter can help bakeries develop in-demand flavor profiles for increased sales.
Get National Donut Day Ready
The countdown to National Donut Day has started, but it’s not too late for bakeries to get in on the celebration. Here’s a to do list to help bakers make the most out of this festive bakery holiday.
- Log onto dawnfoods.com/nationaldonutday to read up on all the resources available from Dawn Foods
- Select new recipes to be featured June 3
- Order products early
- Reach out to Dawn Foods technical team if support is needed
- Connect with Dawn Foods to understand what National Donut Day tools are available for specific bakeries
- Develop marketing ideas to bring customers in the door
- Download social media assets and sign up for Snapchat filter
- Create custom hashtags and promote them, along with #youdeserveadonut and #nationaldonutday
- Promote National Donut Day planned activities through existing social media and marketing channels and reach out to local media stations and personalities
- Ensure effective sales tracking to understand the impact of the donut program
- Ask customers to snap and share their donut moments
Ready to Get Started?
National Donut Day is an ideal intersection of indulgence, fun, and the potential for bigger profits. Make sure to take advantage of the opportunities June 3 offers, and commit to continuing your efforts all year long.
Dawn Foods is here to help – reach out today to begin a donut program that drives meaningful growth for bakeries nationwide. Visit dawnfoods.com/nationaldonutday or contact your Dawn sales representative for more information.
(2) https://www.dawnfoods.com/insights/keeping-up-with-changing-consumer-trends
