We are pleased to announce that Simply Doughnuts has been named as a regional finalist in the Make UK Manufacturing Awards 2024.

We made the shortlist in the Innovation category, based on our efforts to extend the shelf-lives of fresh doughnuts. Since our formation in 2012, we have been working to produce longer-lasting products that reduce food waste and minimise the associated commercial risks faced by retailers.

The winners will be announced at the regional awards dinner, which will take place on the evening of Thursday, 24 October at Crow Wood Hotel & Spa Resort in Burnley.

Daytrippers (Bolton) is a volunteer-led charity that supports families that have children with disabilities. It has been organising accessible trips since 2003. When one of its volunteers contacted us to ask if we would support a fund-raising event – its “21st Birthday Ball” – we were only too happy to help.

We donated a supply of Classic Mini Ring doughnuts that were put to several different uses. Individual doughnuts were used as party favours for those who attended the evening event, while complete tubs were sold to raise funds. A further 16 packs were given to members of the dance troupe as a thank you for entertaining guests, and others will be sold from the kitchen over the coming days.

The event, which celebrated the organisation’s 21^st anniversary, took place on 15 June and, as a result of sales, donations and auctions, the organisers raised around £1650.

More details about Daytrippers, its activities and events can be found on its website: https://www.daytrippersbolton.org.uk.

Simply Doughnuts was proud to be the sponsor of the Micro Business of the Year category in the 2024 Hyndburn Business Awards, which took place on 13 June at the Mercure Dunkenhalgh Hotel.

The finalists in the category included:

• Lancashire Canine Academy
• KTZ Dance
• Michelle Farrell Online Business Management
• Samantha’s Clubhouse

Simply Doughnuts chair, Mike Wilson, presented the award to the category winner, Lancashire Canine Academy.

After the event, Hyndburn Business Awards Organiser Rachel Kay wrote to thank the award sponsors and supporters, saying: “It was absolutely wonderful to celebrate with you all; thank you so much for supporting us and helping us make HBA24 happen… We couldn’t have done it without you.”

Pictured above, L to R: Mike Wilson, Amirah Patel & Evita Dambrauska (of Simply Doughnuts), together with Marcia Ashworth and Naomi Ashworth of Lancashire Canine Academy.
Photo by Liz Henson Photography.

We are pleased to announce that Simply Doughnuts has been named as a finalist in the 2024 British Business Awards. We made the shortlist in the Small Business of the Year category.

Our award entry emphasised our ongoing efforts to introduce longer-lasting products to the retail industry and their impact on minimising both food waste and retailer losses. Our submission also noted our ongoing success in growing our export markets, and our continuing commitment to achieving the highest quality standards.

Hosted by Smallbusiness.co.uk, the awards themselves will take place in London on the 14th November 2024.

In May, we supplied some of our individually wrapped Ring Bake doughnuts to a North West walking group, hoping to gather some useful feedback. The group members took them on a 14km walk from Elterwater in the Lake District.

The doughnuts made a welcome addition to the walkers’ packed lunches and the feedback was generally very good. It included positive comments about both their taste and texture. None of the members had tried the Ring Bakes before and many were surprised to discover how soft they were. (The light structure is the result of a unique process that entails steaming and then baking.)

The individual packaging was also considered an attractive feature, making the products convenient and well suited for inclusion in rucksacks, picnics and packed lunches.

We’re delighted to announce that for the second time in three years, Simply Doughnuts has been named as a finalist for the Grocer Gold Awards in the ‘Waste Not Want Not’ category.

We received our official notification on 10^th May. The full list of award categories and finalists can be seen here on the 2024 Grocer Gold Awards website.

The ‘Waste Not Want Not’ award celebrates companies that have made significant efforts to minimise waste – in terms not only in terms of ingredients and packaging, but also in terms of resources such as water, fuel and energy.

Over the last 12 months, we have continued to reduce our use of energy and materials, despite rising demand and the launch of a whole new range in July 2023.  We now produce less waste dough, we have introduced more efficient plant and equipment, and we have further streamlined our logistics to reduce the need for road miles and associated emissions.

We have continued to divert 100% of waste from landfill but, now, we are sending a sizeable proportion of waste to anaerobic digestion plant, where it becomes a valuable source of low-carbon energy.

Our shortlisting in this prestigious industry award programme reflects progress in these and other areas.

“This is the second time that we have been named as a finalist in this category,” said company MD, Shiraz Master. “We know the competition is very intense so it suggests that we’re doing something worthwhile. We’ve been finding new ways to reduce our carbon footprint and to minimise material waste, but we’ve also been moving forward with new product development as well. For example, our new line of Ring Bakes offer even longer shelf-lives, so we’re offering retailers even more ways to reduce the risk of waste-related losses.

“Progress like this is always a team effort, of course, so I’m delighted that our collective efforts are being recognised in such a respected and fiercely contested awards competition.”

The Grocer Gold Awards will be held on Tuesday 2nd July at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

We’re delighted to announce that our Ring Bake Doughnuts have been shortlisted in the ‘Best Bakery Product’ category of the 2024 Food Management Today Awards.

The full list of finalists can be seen on the Food Management Today website. (Opens in a new tab.)

The shortlisting followed our official submission in November and the testing of product samples, which we sent to the judging panel in February 2024. The judges made their decision on the basis of criteria including great taste, value, and modern packaging.

The award ceremony itself will take place at the Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington, London on Thursday 27^th June 2024. The event will be hosted by the renowned chef, author and TV presenter, Michel Roux Jr.