Duck Donuts is an American doughnut shop chain based in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. Duck Donuts was founded in 2006 in Duck, North Carolina, by Russ DiGilio and Robin Griffith, and has since expanded to over 100 locations in the United States. 

Duck Donuts is known for its made-to-order donuts in a variety of unique flavors. It recently opened a location in Thailand. 

Managing growth is something that Duck Donuts (and many franchises) pays careful attention to. The training program for franchisees includes an emphasis on consistent branding and quality. 

Duck Donuts franchisees typically own just a few locations and often work on a daily basis in the locations they own. 

The custom, made-to-order model is what differentiates Duck Donuts from its competitors. 

Duck Donuts is testing kiosks in stores and grab-and-go opportunities for customers who might not want to wait for donuts. 

QUOTES

“(Managing growth) is challenging. We try to set franchisees up for success in the beginning from a training standpoint and teaching them how we do things.” (Betsy) 

“We have smaller franchisees. A lot of them have two or three locations and come from different backgrounds.” (Betsy)

“What really makes a franchisee successful is someone who has a small business mentality. They’re accountable for their success or failure and we’ll give them all the tools and resources they need to succeed.” (Betsy) 

“It’s a lot of work and it’s constant. Franchisees have to be in the store and know what’s going on. Having that ability to work ON the business and not just IN the business is important.” (Betsy)

“We do try to make (the ordering process) easier because it can be overwhelming for some people. The ability is still there if they want to customize their donut, but if they don’t want to think about it and they want 12 suggestions, here you go, here’s a couple to pick from.” (Betsy) 

“We’re in growth mode. We opened 32 shops last year and we’ll open 45 this year.” (Betsty) 

“Donuts are happiness and the world needs more happiness.” (Michael) 

TRANSCRIPT

00:00.00

vigorbranding

Great hello I’m joined today by someone I’ve always wanted to have on this show. Betsy ham is our guest. She’s the Ceo of duck donuts and it’s one of the fastest growing donut franchises in the nation betsy. Thanks for joining us.

00:12.88

Betsy Hamm

Thank you so much for having me.

00:17.00

vigorbranding

So I want to hear all about your story but the duck story. It’s it’s amazing to me and and kind of maybe fortuitous. The the idea I guess actually grew up in my neighborhood. My neighbor Russ was the is the founder and ah.

00:30.67

Betsy Hamm

Yep.

00:31.37

vigorbranding

If you would tell us the story. You know how it comes from a little neighborhood and in in Pennsylvania and turns into this international and international business. What was the idea behind it how to come come about.

00:38.78

Betsy Hamm

Sure so it’s crazy. It really didn’t stem out of your neighborhood right? Um, so as you mentioned Russ who’s the founder of rused gilio um had a beach house in the outer banks and these to go down there and you know one night they were sitting around. He emits drinking some wine and raminiscing about these warm donuts that they used to get and the boardwalk is kids growing up. And at the time in 2007 outer banks was um, pretty much a little sleepy town. There wasn’t really even any donut shops that were there. Um, so what started out as a whim when they the next day decided like hey this really has some legs. Let’s create a donut concept. Um, and open it here in the outer banks and Russ is a serial entrepreneur but did not have any food and beverage experience so reached out to one of his friends who helped put together the concept of duck donuts. So the first 2 shops opened in duck and Kitty Hawk ah North Carolina hence the name duck. Um, and it took a few years to catch on. But after about the third season because of course it’s very seasonal location and in the outer banks. It really took off and the people who came there every year just continued to create this cult like following for the brand. And people were asking him to you know, open up in my hometown send me donuts in the mail like I want these donuts more than once a year when I go on vacation. So Russ realized that there was this really huge opportunity that he couldn’t miss and decided to start a franchising company. So.

02:01.74

Betsy Hamm

Um, they sold their first franchise in 2013 in Williamsburg Virginia um and now fast forward to 20024 where we have about 150 shops in the United States in 22 or 24 states actually and then we’re also in 6 countries outside the us which has been crazy. So. Um I had the opportunity. Actually we opened in Thailand a few months ago and Russ came along with me for the opening and I said did you ever imagine you would be in Thailand listening to people speak thai talking about Doc Donance being so excited for this concept that just started as something fun. Um, for you to do it and you know he’s so humble about it and he’s just like absolutely not He’s like I had no idea something that started as like a fun side project in the ader banks would literally be um, you know sprinkling happiness across the globe and it’s pretty crazy.

02:52.77

vigorbranding

It’s awesome I mean and you obviously stay close to the branding everything you guys do which I personally truly respect and appreciate I think that’s fantastic. Talk about your journey your your duck donut journey. What did you start out and how did you come about this this ah duck opportunity.

03:07.79

Betsy Hamm

Sure so I spent the first really half I guess of my career at her. She entertainment resorts in marketing so various marketing roles for the sweetest place on earth which of course was a really amazing job. But it’s really always kept um my ear out there for if there was any opportunities that came up that made sense. And a friend of mine had said duck donuts is opening their corporate headquarters here in the Harrisburg area where where I live in Pennsylvania they want someone to come in and build their marketing team and to be honest I had never even heard of duck donuts I had never been to the outer banks. Um, but I had texted a few of my girlfriends who did go every year I said hey the duck donuts.

03:34.80

vigorbranding

He soon.

03:42.87

Betsy Hamm

Place in the outer banks like they’re looking for a marketing person and they both were so emphatic about the fact that I had to take this interview like it’s the best thing ever that would be the most amazing dream job and I’m like wow these ladies are so excited about a Doda concept. Um, so with that excitement I definitely had to take the interview and and came in and met with ah Russ who was the Ceo at the time and of course the founder and the Ceo and you know Russ painted this picture of here’s this brand that people who know it love it and we want to make it at the time we were sick into the us um a national a national brand. Um, so having that opportunity as a marketing person to come in and you know there’s this love and loyalty for this brand but we have to make it more sophisticated. Um, of course it was very mom and pop when it started out. Um so having the opportunity to come in and start from scratch of. You know, logos and and brand voice and style and and I remember talking to the marketing person who was here at the time like why are we not posting pictures on social of donuts like we keep using these illustrated donuts and there’s a couple ducks going on. Um and she said well we don’t have any pictures of donuts I was like oh.

04:34.70

vigorbranding

Um, no.

04:45.90

vigorbranding

So right? yeah.

04:49.27

Betsy Hamm

So you know had this opportunity to kind of start at the base of the foundation and really help take this brand and make it more sophisticated and elevated as we’ve continued to grow. So um, started with a company seven years ago in a marketing capacity and probably about a year and a half after I was here. Ah Russ said you know I think you should take on more. Um, and getting ended up getting promoted to co o which you know they don’t usually let marketing people in charge of operations but um manage to yeah hey worked da um, so did the c o roll for a few years and then um is almost three years ago which is crazy.

05:15.61

vigorbranding

For good reason by the way for very good reason. Ah.

05:26.50

Betsy Hamm

Ah, you know Russ was always very clear that at some point he’s going to take this company as far as he could when need to bring in um, some additional expertise additional cash. Um, so he sold the company to a private equity group in April of 2021 um and at that time is then you know when I when I was promoted to Ceo so it’s been. It’s been a wild journey and something I would have never.

05:40.91

vigorbranding

Um, it’s awesome. It.

05:46.70

Betsy Hamm

Anticipated you know 8 ten years ago when I had never had even heard of the brand let alone to be to be a Ceo.

05:52.64

vigorbranding

It’s it’s amazing and and congratulations. It’s awesome I mean I guess I can I can I can understand certainly don’t have a global business but I started out as ah, just a marketing guy. A creative guy started my own business and now I’m Ceo and it’s sort of like.

05:59.95

Betsy Hamm

So.

06:07.28

vigorbranding

It’s amazing what you did then and who you were then and what you do now I mean talk a little bit about that I mean that’s got to be different. You got to and not that you don’t get to do it now. But you’re this marketing person. You brought the fun you sprinkled for fun into everyone’s life that kind of thing and your personality exudes that. And I as we Ceo. What’s what’s that what’s that like.

06:24.77

Betsy Hamm

Yeah, yeah, you know it’s um, it’s making sure you’re stay focused on the right stuff and and letting the experts and on the team do their job and you know it’s It’s funny because and you mentioned this like with your curse. Sometimes you do things that you don’t even realize do have an impact on where you end up. Um you you probably didn’t think that you were going to open your own.

06:42.54

vigorbranding

Now.

06:43.82

Betsy Hamm

Agency and be the Ceo and that was certainly never on my you know 1020 year plan um so I think sometimes as you go through and have these experiences sometimes it starts to become a little bit more clear that this may work. Um and I remember when rust talked about selling the company I was like oh they’re going to bring somebody in but but during that time it was covered and.

06:58.28

vigorbranding

In here.

07:03.12

Betsy Hamm

You know he had kind of taken a step back and was like hey I’m going to let you run this I’m here to support you I’m I’m here for assistance. Um, and that’s those like wait a minute I I kind of like this but and I kind of like the direction we’re going so you know, let’s continue to to head down that path. Um, but it is different because you know you have to let the experts and the and the team around you. And just make sure I’m providing tools resources make sure I have the right people in the right seats. So. It’s very different in the day to day and you know trying to make sure I don’t just gravitate towards you know one department or anything like that that I have that well-rounded understanding of what ops is doing and obviously the financials is.

07:31.55

vigorbranding

You.

07:39.33

Betsy Hamm

Huge piece of the success of the company. So um, yeah, you definitely have to be a lot more well rounded. But I think having the right people around. You makes that a lot easier to do.

07:48.44

vigorbranding

No doubt no doubt did the whole financial side of things did that come easy to you or is that like something you had to because we all do we gra gravitate towards what we love to do right? and I think that’s ah you have a very grid lesson in there that you got to be love all your kids the same. You got you got to deal with all the things with the same amount of passion.

08:01.74

Betsy Hamm

Um, yes.

08:06.23

vigorbranding

And vigor as you would the things you love to do so did that come come easy to you I mean was that something was pretty natural or.

08:10.95

Betsy Hamm

Um, you know it wasn’t too bad I think even when I was at Hershey I think very early in my crew I had the opportunity to be exposed to a lot of different departments I mean we worked very closely with operations and we needed to understand the operations mindset.

08:21.25

vigorbranding

Um.

08:23.23

Betsy Hamm

Um, and I actually went back to grad school I think it was out of um undergrad probably like 2 years to get my Mba and part of that was the financial piece of it and to give the marketing person credibility that look I understand a p and l I understand numbers I might not be able to sit there and be an accountant or a financial analyst. But.

08:29.47

vigorbranding

Good.

08:40.70

Betsy Hamm

You know, give me the data and I can I can make decisions. So um, luckily I had a a bit of a knack for that and and again just as that kind of was something I needed to focus on and I admit when you don’t understand something I think is huge I I think we all would not always show our weaknesses so people pretend like they maybe understand something. So.

08:56.15

vigorbranding

Um.

08:58.73

vigorbranding

Um, and yet.

08:58.87

Betsy Hamm

You know, not being afraid to ask those questions or say time out I need to understand why this happens or what does this mean or why do we care about Ebada or whatever it is. Um I think it’s really important to ask those questions editing point in your career.

09:06.60

vigorbranding

I Think that honesty yeah that honesty and clarity and and and and transparency is huge I I Jokingly well I It wasn’t even joking when I started my company. It was funny I got quoted in the into some of the trades and and. My friends framed it and sent it to me because they they they thought it was a joke and I said my business model is pretty Simple. My goal is to be the dumbest person in the building and you know I want to hire everybody in the company smarter better brighter than I am whatever it is that they have to do and it’s always worked. It’s ah sort of a secret weapon and.

09:28.28

Betsy Hamm

Um, ah.

09:38.35

Betsy Hamm

Um I Love that? yeah.

09:39.37

vigorbranding

Yeah, just you know in in ask questions and and and and hopefully you know you’ll you’ll you’ll get the right answers and and and grow from it. So um, so a hundred locations 22 states Saudi Arabia I mean how how do you manage that you go from. Again, the marketing side of things to now. What’s the secret. How do you manage that growth.

09:56.41

Betsy Hamm

It is challenging and I I think whenever. Well even when you have 1 location of a brand. It’s it’s hard right? But then when you multiply that times 100 and you have different owners running each of these local businesses. It’s certainly challenging so we try to set. Franchisee up for success in the beginning from a training standpoint and here’s how we do things and this is what duck donuts looks like and sounds like and this is how um, we’re going to operate and you know the 1 thing that I keep really hammering home to the franchisees is we want duck donuts to be known for a superior product with an exceptional customer experience and it sounds basic. But. If. We can be consistently a superior product and provide an exceptional customer experience that’s going to make everyone’s lives better and easier people are going to come back more often. Frequency will be there. Um, so we try to provide all the tools and for order that to happen in order for that to happen. Um, but it’s tough.

10:47.65

vigorbranding

Um, you had.

10:49.21

Betsy Hamm

You know because it’s it’s human and and people are going to kind of have their take so you know sometimes on social media if we get tagged and stuff or there’s user-generated Content. You sort of cringe. Maybe when you see the donuts that are going out the door that aren’t consistent or there are you know some local marketing messages that aren’t on Brand. Um, so it’s trying to really make sure we educate upfront what the expectation is and then just hold people and franchisees accountable as we move forward? Um, but for giving those tools and resources it should help Um, but it is It is tough when everybody kind of has a little bit of their own opportunity to to make a spin on the Brand. So. Do have to remind franchisees at times so that it’s it is ducked and it’s that’s that’s name on the door.

11:29.68

vigorbranding

Yeah I’m sure because I know from personal experience. We’ve dealt. We’ve dealt with a lot of ah ah franchisee groups and you know you have smart people that own these businesses. Um, they have their livelihood tied into it. They have an awful lot of passion for it and.

11:35.21

Betsy Hamm

So but is this.

11:42.37

Betsy Hamm

Um, absolutely.

11:44.37

vigorbranding

But yet they have to adhere to the controls because you know the consistency you bring is key and that’s that’s the livelihood that for everybody ultimately and I think sometimes that’s tough to understand is there a secret secret is there a special type of franchise z that you look for because I know like I’ll say again in my experience. I know some folks that are like master franchisees. These guys might own 5 different brands. Ah they might have 30 different stores in one brand and they have these like like corporations I mean they have to have their own hr their finance I mean they’re you know they’re they’re very large businesses but they’re they’re dealing with multiple due. Is there a certain type of ah.

12:13.75

Betsy Hamm

Um, oh yeah, yeah.

12:21.44

vigorbranding

The franchisee that’s perfect for duck downs.

12:22.10

Betsy Hamm

So currently, what our franchisee system looks like is we have the smaller franchisee so a lot of them will have you know 2 3 locations. They’ve come from a different background whether they used to be in education or in marketing or in finance and they wanted to be a small business owner. So. But really makes a franchisee successful or somebody who has that small business owner mentality. They’re accountable, um, for their success or their failure and and we’ll give them all the tools and resources that they need in order to succeed. Um, but they really have to have that drive and motivation and and and ability to be able to move the brand forward on that local level. Um, and you know I think the 1 thing because we have that smaller business model. But if it’s you know the average franchisee has 2 locations. Um, they have to be in the store right? like this isn’t like ah set it and forget it and you know I’ll just build it and they will come. It’s you know so easy I mean that’s.

13:06.78

vigorbranding

And he.

13:14.67

Betsy Hamm

Um, it’s a lot of work and it’s constant. So our franchisees have to be able to be in the store and and know what’s going on but having that ability to work on the business and not just in the business is really important and it’s hard to you know, a lot of times you’re going to get um, dragged into the weeds of hey the fire is networking or someone didn’t showt for their shift. Um, so it’s the ability to be a little problem solve on the fly. Um, and oh by the way manage a team because now you have probably on average 17 year olds um, working in your shop and now you have thirty seventeen year olds that you have to you know, keep engage and have them understand this brand and the concept and and deliver that amazing experience. So it’s a.

13:47.87

vigorbranding

Um.

13:53.75

Betsy Hamm

It’s an incredibly tough job and to your point you know Franchisees Invest a ton of money some you know college savings or life savings or whatever it is um to have that small business owner opportunity so we want to do whatever we can to to help support them and and make that dream a reality.

14:08.86

vigorbranding

That’s awesome. Do you have like is there a thing like hey we don’t allow anybody have more than five is there any kind of a corporate rule or just kind of play it out like as it goes.

14:15.78

Betsy Hamm

No yeah, um, we do have a few that have 5 ah is the most. But um, no, not really, we actually just sold a 12 shop deal in um, Chicago last and enroll in 2023 um, but to your point he is a sophisticated franchise owner that owns another brand has the infrastructure has the team. Um, so I think as we grow and our brand becomes more sophisticated. We’ll end up with more of those I mean I don’t know if we’ll ever end up with the franchisees who have.

14:30.16

vigorbranding

Um, even yep.

14:38.24

vigorbranding

Got you. Here.

14:43.52

Betsy Hamm

50 or 100 brands like some of them. But you know 10 20 locations. Um, there’s certainly the opportunity for that to be to be built out as they go.

14:52.35

vigorbranding

That’s awesome. So I love the custom made you know to order donut model I think it’s great. Your product’s phenomenal I get to try it. Obviously it’s local to me. It’s at ah at the beaches I go to I mean it’s everywhere I go which is awesome.

15:03.40

Betsy Hamm

Are.

15:03.73

vigorbranding

So what separates stuck donuts from the competitors like the crispy creams or the dunk the Dunkin donuts that’s the names we hear a lot what what makes you so different and and then the other thing too is what what I feel is really kind of cool is like look they’re not. They’re not inexpensive as far as donuts go oh it’s not a lot of but if know theres things wild wild animals. no no worries

15:19.85

Betsy Hamm

Um, I’m sorry of course somebody rings my door hold on one second, let’s go go? yeah.

15:22.32

vigorbranding

Ah, good. Ah, no worries.

15:28.71

vigorbranding

We just done it this right? Oh it’s no problem. We we just will just edit that chunk. It’s all good. It’s all good. Yeah, we’re great. We’re great now, Please So yeah, so yeah.

15:33.86

Betsy Hamm

It never fails when I’m on something like that that somebody rings the doorbell. Okay I figured you could just edit that sorry I think they stopped okay the the negative of being at home. Not the office.

15:47.56

vigorbranding

Ah, um, should I start that question again and okay so I what I was saying let me say I love the custom made-to-order donut model. That’s a big part of what separates duck donuts from competitors like we hear of crispy cream and Dunkin donuts to me. It’s always amazing though because ah, they’re Customade. It is a unique, ah different kind of concept. And then there’s a cost associated with it which and rightfully so they’re they’re basically more expensive and still not a lot of money but you know it’s one of those things. How did that all come to be like what is talk about the the competitors and how what separates you and the whole custom made to order concept.

16:18.63

Betsy Hamm

Sure so that’s certainly been our differentiator is that is the custom made to order concept and your donuts are always fresh, right? So when you walk into a duck donuts. You don’t see any donuts which is very unusual for any of our competitors and sometimes confusing when we open in new markets or new countries. Ah, that you have to go in. You have to decide what you want and will make it fresh and you get to watch the experience if you choose um so that certainly has been our differentiator is is the warm, the customization. Always fresh. So it’s really continuing to embrace that um, because that is our usp. Ah, but then also make sure that we have the ability to deliver on customers’ expectations if they don’t want to wait so that’s been something that we’ve really been focused on in the last year or 2 of course we don’t have drive-frus we’ve talked about it and right now we just think we’re going to really lean into um the customization and the warm piece which would be really hard to do. And a drive-th through model. Um, but what do we do from a convenience factor that if I don’t want to wait for my donut that I can get it faster. So of course there’s things like online ordering. We now have kiosks and shops as well and we’re testing some other more like grab and go opportunities here in the coming months so we want to. Stay true to what’s made us so successful but also be able to reach those customer um expectations from a convenience factor which we know all has become very important over the last several years for sure.

17:29.31

vigorbranding

Um, okay.

17:36.95

vigorbranding

Absolutely so like I love the process of building my own personal donut and I think it’s a lot of fun. So let’s have some fun I’m gonna throw some. You guys have so many great like flavors and and combinations I’m gonna throw some different toppings out and I want you to tell me what you feel is the coding things and you you go from marketer to now you’re gonna be the donut Chef the donut creator. Okay.

17:53.22

Betsy Hamm

Um, okay yes, um, chocolate vanilla. Okay, so we need to add to this like chocolate.

17:56.80

vigorbranding

So Chopped peanuts all right oreo cookie pieces Graham Cracker crumbs there you go perfect. Okay, chopped bacon very good I would put peanut butter in here too. But that’s just me it shredded coconut. Very good.

18:10.12

Betsy Hamm

And marshmallow to make it like a some more. Um, maple Oh yeah, yeah, um, lemon.

18:25.48

vigorbranding

I See you guys do these things with the the great names and the great brands and the great taste. What’s the the peanut butter. It’s um I Forget the name of the one with the bacon. Yes, yes, what’s there’s one that what’s the one has the bacon on it all the time bacon in the sun. Yeah, yeah, yeah, is that right? and that’s that’s.

18:30.87

Betsy Hamm

Of the peanut butter and paradise oh bacon in the sun. Our number 1 selling donut is the bacon donut I far like not even close to the net number 2

18:44.23

vigorbranding

Wow, That’s incredible. That’s incredible and so like I mean these the people like you said there’s no donuts in windows people walk in are they are they at all nervous about like oh I’ve got I’ve got to talk to people and and make this thing I mean this is new to me is it ah is there a little bit of ah apprehension there or you hear.

19:01.10

Betsy Hamm

Absolutely yeah, oh there is and it’s funny because it’s something that we have been focused on the last um several years and even back to when I started never going to aduct on it and somebody handed me an ordering pat at the time and I was like I don’t even know what this is this is too much to think about.

19:01.93

vigorbranding

Ah, is there. Okay, good.

19:15.60

Betsy Hamm

Um, so a few years ago we introduced assortment guide. So ah at the counter. There’s some countermats that you can pick donuts that are already created. So of course we have seasonal donuts we have lto flavors like right now we have a jelly donut where the jelly’s just like in the middle of the donut. Um, so we do try to make it easier because it is overwhelming and it can be. A lot to think I don’t know what I want or what? what do I put with what especially if you’re building a half dozen or a dozen so we do make a lot of suggestions for dozens and half dozens and even donuts and and to be honest, that’s majority of what people order whether it’s online or or in shop as they’re picking what’s already created. So. Ah, that’s actually a focus of ours right now from what that customer experience is in shop. You know what do those assortment guides look like what’s on the menu boards. Um, how do we help the speed of service and just take out. Um the decisionmaking process for the for the customers if they don’t want to do it. Of course the ability is still there. Um, if they want to customize their donut. But.

20:08.49

vigorbranding

Um.

20:12.17

Betsy Hamm

They don’t want to think about it and they want 12 suggestions here. You go here’s a couple to pick from um just to make it a lot easier and simplify the process.

20:18.66

vigorbranding

Yeah mean that’s smart too because it be well let’s face it people you said they don’t know ah know there’s a reason vanilla is the number 1 selling ice cream right? So I mean you just you know people don’t know unless you show them all the options and and you guys do a great job of that you have so many unique kind of combinations that it’s almost like I gotta try that is that is that good.

20:25.97

Betsy Hamm

Um, right? ah.

20:35.49

vigorbranding

You know and and to your point then you know a bacon donut being the number one flavor I don’t think anyone would assume that ever ah but you guys set that up and and make it happen. Yeah.

20:40.11

Betsy Hamm

Right? right? and consistently for years I mean I think since I’ve started and even just says our 23 numbers came in. It’s still number one which just amazes me.

20:51.58

vigorbranding

That’s funny now you guys do a lot of philanthropic stuff Charity overlays things like that. Do we talk a little bit about that.

20:55.28

Betsy Hamm

Sure, um, so we started partnering with Makea wish last year and thatt national campaign will be coming up in April or may timef frameme this year where each one of our locations throughout the us raises money for their local chapter of Makea-w wish so. Um there’s a makea wish donut with blue and white sprinkles. Of course you have the opportunity just to donate at the point of sale or online. Um, when you’re checking out. Um, so that’s been a really great new partnership. Of course they’re about families and kids which we are as well. Um, so in addition to having that national partnership. We have a program. The umbrella called quack gives back which is.

21:23.98

vigorbranding

Toss me.

21:30.23

Betsy Hamm

Some great little um tag to tie into the brand. Um, but we really challenge our franchisees to be involved in their local community. So but we have everybody involved in the makea wish campaign they have the ability to partner with whatever organizations important to them in their local community. So. Um, and those can look differently from whether you know it’s a boys Club Girls Club Pta different fundraisers. Um but partnering with their local community Nonprofits. We think is very important for us to be able to give back on that national as well as local level.

22:02.50

vigorbranding

That’s fantastic. You know I have to I throw this out because I mean you guys have such a cool brand and you know you look at different things and in in the world to sort of combine like pop culture things. It seems like there might be an opportunity for you guys. Yeah, you have the little little rubber duck right? Really cool. Well brandnded.

22:16.10

Betsy Hamm

Um.

22:16.82

vigorbranding

You got the speech vibe going right? So I’ve seen all these guys with jeeps I’m not a Jeep guy I’m actually a I’m a land cruiser guy which is similar but not a Jeep guy. So but I’m seeing all these guys with with rubber ducks ducking each other whatever want to call it with their jeeps so you got jeeps you got the beach you got ducks you got duck donuts you guys got to get involved in that somehow somehow we got be giving away donuts. There’s something there.

22:25.96

Betsy Hamm

Yes.

22:32.84

Betsy Hamm

I know I know yes well and you know what’s funny is we have um just on a local level. A lot of deep meetups will happen in duck donuts parking. Lots.

22:35.22

vigorbranding

There’s something there.

22:42.00

Betsy Hamm

Ah, so they’ll go in. They’ll buy some ducks. They’ll grab some donuts and they do these meet ups and parking lots but I agree like on a big national partnership level that would be amazing gas. Yes oh I like that.

22:45.14

vigorbranding

It’s perfect. Yeah, yeah,, let’s let’s give away a Jeep for the Beach. You know I think you got something there I think that’s ah you know I think that works So that’s awesome. Um, is there anything else you want to talk about as far as the the franchise. What makes a great franchisee. Which the future hold for duck donuts anything else. You want to throw in before I got a couple other questions but I wanted to open it up to you.

23:03.27

Betsy Hamm

Yeah I mean we’re just we’re in yeah, we’re in growth mode. So we open 32 shops last year we’ll open 45 this year and want to continue to build that so you know just focused on buildinging the brand across the us as well as globally. Um, and getting our existing shops to be more successful. So while the growth of opening shops is very important. We want our existing franchisees to be more profitable more successful. We want them to open additional shops. Um, so of course this has been a 2023 was a challenging year from. Um, a transaction standpoint for a lot of people within the food and beverage industry. Ah people obviously are are watching their spend a little bit and as much as we would love to think people eat donuts every day. Um, so we just have to become more innovative and and more driving of how we’re going to get people back in the door. Um, more frequently. So that’s been. That’s really what we’re focused on right now.

23:52.69

vigorbranding

Very cool. It’s amazing to me I go from my my neighborhood in Central Pennsylvania to your Cairo Qatar and Thailand I mean it’s just it’s ah it’s mind boggling you know.

23:58.48

Betsy Hamm

Um, yeah, right, it is mind boggling I agree.

24:03.59

vigorbranding

So you know one one other thing when this time of year I mean let’s face. Everyone’s hard starts thinking about working out and eating healthy and all that and donuts don’t necessarily slide right into that that routine. Do you see that as a problem is that is this ever become an issue seasonally.

24:16.94

Betsy Hamm

You know what? January and again I think sometimes just january is that people are recovering from the holidays and spending money and eating and drinking a lot during that time. So January is certainly always a slow time of year for us. Um, but after that you know it’s.

24:22.67

vigorbranding

Um.

24:30.53

Betsy Hamm

All about moderation right? of course and in the court we sell coffee and we sell ice cream So you know there’s lots of reasons to to come into duck. Um, that maybe is a little less calories. But you know certainly moderation is certainly good for everyone. Absolutely.

24:32.10

vigorbranding

Um, yep.

24:39.74

vigorbranding

I mean donuts are happiness and the world needs more happiness. So you know it’s just just goes hand in glove with donuts. So all right? So if you had ah when if you went into your local duck donuts. It can only order one donut. What are you ordering.

24:54.14

Betsy Hamm

I’m actually ordering which I built earlier the samoures donut if it’s not fall because our fall donut is an Apple donut which is my favorite donut but you know that’s that’s seasonally yeah the Apple donuts and next fall when it comes around and definitely suggest.

24:55.20

vigorbranding

Um, ah, very good, very good who that is your all-time favorite. The Apple done it I’ll try it. So what’s there’s more than just Apple come on you guys you mean you’t just do 1 thing to it. What else is done to it.

25:08.65

Betsy Hamm

Trying the Apple done it.

25:13.80

vigorbranding

Is just Apple. okay okay I like that nice, well done well done. Oh perfect. Yeah, it’s fun. It’s great.

25:13.94

Betsy Hamm

Um, well yeah, it’s like Apple pie filling if that makes sense that’s sitting in the middle of the donut with vanilla icing and if you want to get fancy. You could drip some caramel on there or you know, add anything else like that some cinnamon sugar cinnamon sugar donut with the Apple pie filling. So yes.

25:32.29

vigorbranding

Okay, so the last question I asked this to every guest if you had 1 final meal and you can’t say a donut ah and it can’t be done. Its so what would you eat and why what would your last? What would it be.

25:42.47

Betsy Hamm

Um, so I would definitely not have to think too hard about this. It would be Mexican like I Love Mexican food so give me like a good taco platter with like beans and rice and like salsa and guacamole and some chips that would be perfect.

25:53.80

vigorbranding

Awesome! Very good, very good. Well listen this was fantastic betsy I mean yeah yeah, you just ah you exude the happiness of duck donuts and I’m just I think it’s amazing. What you’ve built and you guys should be very proud and it’s a.

26:00.52

Betsy Hamm

Thank you.

26:06.90

vigorbranding

It’s ah, a really great brand and and you’re spreading happiness which is always a good thing. So thank you so much for your time sprinkling Happiness I’m sorry sprinkling happiness. So I apologize that’s ah but that’s fantastic. So thank you so much appreciate. You spend time with us. Thank you, You got it.

26:10.83

Betsy Hamm

Um, sprinkling sprinkling happiness. Kidding. Thank you Thanks for having me.