Shipley Do-Nuts expands into two new states
Shipley Do-Nuts continues to expand — offline and in brick-and-mortar.
The Houston-based brand continued its rapid expansion in the first quarter of 2023 by opening five new locations, including entering two new states: Maryland and Georgia.
In January, Shipley opened its Maryland location, in Odenton, followed by its first Georgia opening, in Cumming, in March. The company also opened shops in Texas, including its 12th corporate-owned store in Houston.
To further grow its footprint, Shipley has announced a deal with Meisternuts LLC to enable the company to expand its presence in Colorado. The Utah-based group, which has acquired two existing Shipley Do-Nuts locations in Aurora and Fountain, plans to open an additional 16 locations in the Denver and Colorado Springs markets.
Also in the first quarter, the company continued to make significant strides in the digital space, with 80% of the system now enrolled in a new online ordering system that it launched in 2022.
Overall, Shipley is projecting double-unit growth in 2023 over 2022.
"We have hit the ground running in Q1 and remain committed to meeting the growing demand for our delicious do-nuts across the country," said Clifton Rutledge, CEO, Shipley Do-Nuts. "As we continue to expand our brand into new markets, we have increased our focus on innovation and technology that has allowed us to grow our digital sales and improve the customer experience."
The company said its focus on technology and innovation has paid off, resulting in an increase in digital sales.
Shipley is also continuing to invest in its first-ever loyalty program, which it began testing in its corporate-owned locations last year. During the first quarter, Shipley added 27 additional locations to the test, bringing the total number of participating locations to more than 10% of the system. The company plans to introduce the program systemwide later this year.
Founded in 1936, Houston-based Shipley Do-Nuts is a leading donut restaurant franchisor and manufacturer of specialty food products.
The company is actively recruiting franchisees in all markets, with a focus on increasing its presence in Colorado, Oklahoma, Florida and throughout the Southeast.