Doughnut specialist Project D has marked its expansion into bricks & mortar retail with its flagship store opening in York city centre.
The first 500 customers through the doors of the bright-pink fronted outlet on Friday 6 September received free doughnuts. Hundreds more helped break all trading expectations over the weekend and required the Derby-based firm to ramp up its planned bakery production, the firm said.
With more than a dozen doughnut varieties available, the ‘GhostyMcGhostFace’ emerged as the weekend’s bestseller – part of Project D’s Halloween range. More flavours are to be stocked in the coming weeks, it noted, including Christmas and Easter-themed doughnuts.
Project D co-founder and marketing director Max Poynton described the opening of the Parliament Street location as a “roaring success”, adding they were so pleased to “hit the right note with the York public”. A video edit of the opening was posted on its socials including Instagram:
View this post on Instagram
Project D has performed well in the online arena, even securing the title of Online Bakery Business of the Year at the 2022 Baking Industry Awards.
Having found success via this channel and also through kiosks and pop-up events, promoted via channels including Tiktok, Project D said it was looking to open many more stores across the UK as part of its rapid expansion plans.
Its move into permanent retail sites had been kickstarted by a successful crowdfunding campaign, which raised £524,000 earlier this year.
Three more locations are expected to be launched this year including at Meadowhall Shopping Centre in Sheffield.
“The York opening simply could not have gone any better,” said Project D co-founder Matthew Bond. “It really helps to endorse our decision to enter the retail market.”
Project D’s doughnuts are made at the company’s purpose-built 11,000 sq ft bakery in Spondon which features a custom-made Canol industrial doughnut line, with a total capacity of 17 million doughnuts per year.
No comments yet