Happy Doughnut Lucky is the name of the business that took over social media in the last weeks – and the story behind it is almost as sweet as their doughnuts.
TK, Sach and Lewis are three dessert lovers who came up with this idea last year, in 2019, way before lockdown.
Sach, who is co-founder of Happy Doughnut Lucky, talked about the journey behind this business idea in an interview for Platform.
He said: “We are all dessert lovers and the idea started last year, when we were trying different desserts and they just didn’t taste that fresh.
“They were all defrosted desserts, so we thought there should be something better.”
This thought motivated the team of ‘doughnuteers’ to create something unique, so they took their time to do their research and develop their recipes.
They have traveled over 3583 miles and over 3 continents searching the perfect recipe for their dream doughnut.
TK, another co-member of the brand, said: “We just felt there had to be a better way, so we decided to visit places like Paris and Rome to discover how they made their dough products.
“It was whilst in their kitchens we learnt the secrets behind the most amazing doughnuts and sweet treats, including cookie dough.
“We have used this knowledge to perfect our very own secret recipe, which we can’t wait for everyone to try.”
This journey motivated to bring something back to Nottingham – a new concept of doughnut handcrafting.
Sach added: “This required a lot of travelling and experimenting.
“We didn’t just open a doughnut place, we wanted something that could add value to the city, and we wanted to create something that’s better than what we have at the minute.”
Their travels to France and Italy inspired the whole concept, from the recipe to the whole ‘bakery aesthetic’.
Lewis added: “It wasn’t just the delicious food, it was the whole experience from bakery aesthetics to, the packaging and the experience as a whole.
“Researching and exploring these cities was so important as we wanted to unlock their secrets so we can better understand the process of making the perfect baked desserts.
“Uncovering their secrets was key to providing Nottingham with something new and fresh.
For Lewis, the Italian baking style remains one of his favourites: “In the Tuscany region in Italy, we stumbled across the Bomboloni, which is a variation of the filled doughnut – it was so light, fluffy and so so beautiful.
“I instantly knew this was something we had to bring back home to show to everyone!”
From the selection of toppings to the dough itself, the new brand will include a complete range of vegan doughnuts that “will be as delicious as the dairy versions”.
Sach said: “Louis’s girlfriend is lactose intolerant so we wanted something which is vegan friendly but because non of us are vegan or lactose intolerant which tastes just as good but it is vegan – so something that we would eat naturally, not because we’re vegan.”
Happy Doughnut Lucky will deliver freshly-made doughnuts everyday, the official launch following to be announced shortly.
Sach added: “We make doughnuts everyday and we are the only ones that do this.
“We make small batches everyday.
“The first baking comes in at 2am in the morning and finish at 10am and then they go for sale at 11am.
“It just feels like a real premium doughnut at an affordable price.”
The new bakery will be releasing a limited edition doughnut every fortnight, the first one of its kind being the LV inspired doughnut.
Sach said that the idea behind the business is to make every customer feel like they are living an ‘unique experience’.
He added: “We have put a lot of effort in our packaging as well so it feels less of a throw away item.
“The packaging is thick and of a high-quality itself, so when you open up it feels like an experience.”
To find out more about the bakery and reserve some doughnuts from the first batch, follow @TheBakeryByHDL on social media.
By Olimpia Zagnat
Featured photo credit: Happy Doughnut Lucky