Mobile Mini-Doughnut Franchise Meets Demand for Sweet Treats on the Go
DonutNV made its debut in 2014 at a kiosk at Philadelphia Premium Outlets. Then called Cinnimini Donuts, the brand quickly outgrew its location as customers wanted more of the fresh-made mini doughnuts in their own neighborhoods and at their community events. Founders Alex and Amanda Gingold heeded the demand and took the business on the road. They launched their first food trailer in 2015, opened two more mobile units the following year in Florida, then rebranded as DonutNV in 2018 and began franchising. Today, more than 130 franchisees manage these mobile mini-doughnut franchises in about 150 territories in 31 states.
DonutNV also is one of “the chosen few” brands partnered with Franchise FastLane, a franchise sales organization focused on helping franchises achieve extraordinary and responsible growth. DonutNV consistently is one of the strongest performers in its portfolio, according to Franchise FastLane. The brand also is ranked No. 298 on Entrepreneur’s prestigious 2024 Franchise 500 list and ranked No. 22 among Entrepreneur’s Fastest Growing Franchises.
Mini-Doughnut Franchise on the Go
Serving hot mini-doughnuts and beverages including fresh-squeezed lemonade from a colorfully decorated trailer, DonutNV franchises can be operated from fixed locations or on the go at events such as weddings, birthdays and corporate gatherings.
Beyond its tasty treats, DonutNV also serves an interactive experience for customers who enjoy peeking through the trailer’s “Watch the Donuts” window as their hot doughnuts are made fresh to order, flipped by hand and finished with a choice of toppings, ranging from the classic cinnamon sugar or powdered sugar to new favorites including strawberry shortcake and Dirt ‘n’ Worms, featuring Hershey’s chocolate, Oreo crumbles and Gummy Worms. Beverage choices include lemonade in seven fruit flavors, as well as NVous iced coffee, hot cocoa and apple cider.
Americans’ taste for doughnuts knows no limits, according to market research. An estimated 207.31 million Americans consumed doughnuts in 2024, which is up from 201.02 million in 2020, according to Statista, which reported that the U.S. doughnut store market size was valued at $8.9 billion in 2023, representing an increase of about 3% from the previous year.
Advantages of DonutNV Franchise Ownership
“DonutNV is special for a number of reasons,” says Franchise FastLane’s Ben Rickord, who heads franchise development for DonutNV. “First, franchisees aren’t penalized for success with our flat royalty structure, and franchisees are fully supported with everything from equipment and trailer support to coaching and business development. Second, this mobile business allows flexibility in a franchisee’s operations, low waste and high-margin products that can be served all year round.”
DonutNV franchises require minimal staffing and have very low overhead, as the brand’s proprietary doughnut mix uses only water, has a shelf life of a year and can produce 1,200 mini-doughnuts in an hour.
Franchise owner Josh Lewis, whose territory covers the central Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina, says DonutNV’s profit margin initially attracted him. “But I was also attracted to the fact that those who were ‘selling’ the franchise were also owners in the franchise. This told me they put their money where their mouths are. The more I talked to other franchise owners, the more I realized that DonutNV provided the support, ideas and brand support that I was looking for in a new business venture,” says Lewis, an entrepreneur who owns and operates several other businesses in addition to his DonutNV mini-doughnut franchise.
About Franchise FastLane
Franchise FastLane is the No. 1 Franchise Sales Organization (FSO) in the country with a mission to responsibly drive extraordinary growth for the chosen few. Franchise FastLane manages franchisee sales from initial lead generation to prospect qualification and ultimately to closure of the franchise sale. FastLane assists franchisors with fine-tuning their discovery processes and bringing forward qualified franchisees. Of the hundreds of brands vetted, Franchise FastLane has partnered only with 25-plus brands that are ready to grow.
To learn more, visit the Franchise FastLane brands page. To learn more about the possibility of joining the FastLane or CarPool, please click here to submit an application.
For more information about DonutNV franchising opportunities, visit https://www.franchisefastlane.com/donutnv.
