Exclusive
Doughnuts set for five-day shelf-life revolution
The new mix – which will guarantee to offer the same taste quality in day five as in day one – is set to transform the retail and on-the-go markets, creator Dawn Foods claimed.
Chris Jenkins, the firm’s newly-appointed cluster director, said the reformulated product was a major advancement in the campaign against food waste. It is expected to be available in February or early March.
According to Jenkins, doughnuts typically carry a one-day shelf-life, stretched to a second day in some instances.
Doubling sales
While being unable to disclose any specifics in regard to the reformulation, the former Asda bakery boss explained that the mix will help the US-headquartered company achieve its target of doubling sales over the next five years.
“When I was at Asda, my doughnuts only had a one-day shelf-life, so once they were cooked in-store, I had to sell them that day or put them in the bin,” Jenkins said.
“Imagine now that I’m able to take that up to five days, and for them to deliver the same quality taste on day five as on day one. For me, that’s a massive leap forward.”
He added that the reformulation took more than two years to achieve and involved substantial company investment.
Doughnuts – the hole story
- Their origin is disputed, but the leading theory claims doughnuts were invented in North America by Dutch settlers.
- The earliest known recorded use of the term ‘doughnut’ is in a short story published in 1808.
- American Hanson Gregory is believed to have invented the ring-shaped doughnut in 1847.
- National Doughnut Week 2016 will run from May 7–14.
“I know our competitors have been striving to make a similar product, but I don’t think anyone is close,” Jenkins said.
“Customers have been involved along the way, and we are supremely confident that we have delivered on the taste. That’s why the mix comes with a five-day guarantee.”
Brownie launch
Dawn Foods is also introducing new American brownie mixes as part of a calendar of launches over the next 12 months.
A number of other cake mixes, toppings and fillings are to be rebranded under the Dawn logo as part of the company’s Project Sunrise.
The ingredients maker, which also makes finished bakery products for retail and foodservice, operates 22 plants in 53 locations globally and employs 5,000 people. The UK manufacturing site is in Evesham, Worcestershire.
- Look out for an exclusive interview with Dawn Foods boss Chris Jenkins in the February issue of Food Manufacture.