Doughnut firm to triple production after six-figure investment

Doughnut firm Project D is to triple production after installing a new piece of equipment costing £250,000.

The company is installing a doughnut line in its Spondon bakery, known as The Dream Factory, which will enable it to make 300,000 sweet treats a week to keep up with demand.

The company is creating room in the bakery for the specialist piece of equipment by adding a 105 sq metre mezzanine floor, which will be used for storage.

Overseeing the expansion is new production manager Phil Buckingham who has spent his career in the food manufacturing industry.

Phil, who was previously employed by a bakery in Oxford supplying Waitrose, said: “This is a young, vibrant bakery with no shortage of ideas and the sky’s the limit with this much enthusiasm.”

Project D is one of the city’s biggest success stories after pivoting during the pandemic allowed it to start an online delivery process and sell through pop-up kiosks all over the county.

Today, it delivers its doughnuts to customers all over the UK.

The firm uses its high profile on social media to actively engage with its audience to know which lines are most popular and where Project D needs to be seen.

Strategy director Jacob Watts said: “We have more than 130,000 followers on Instagram and we enjoy listening to what they have to say about our doughnuts and where they think we should be popping-up.

“Our pop-ups have generally been within the East Midlands, but we intend to widen our reach across the UK and installing the doughnut line will allow us to do this.

“We are currently recruiting bakers, decorators, delivery drivers and events assistants – so there are jobs available in almost every role at The Dream Factory.

“We’re also looking at new routes to market – we’re hoping to return to the high street before long and we’re opening in various university campuses too.”