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Honey Dew Donuts® in the news
Here's to Dew
By Jennifer Heldt Powell/ Boston Herald
Thursday, May 5, 2005
Honey Dew Donuts may not have the Red Sox general manager hawking its products or a cultlike following for its glazed doughnut, but while its two main rivals grab for attention, the region's other doughnut chain is holding steady. The 33-year-old company, based in Plainville, doesn't have national ambitions. But it's nonetheless growing and evolving to be more appealing to customers. Along with a steady stream of new products, the chain is unveiling a store redesign intended to offer a warmer, more relaxing atmosphere. "We had to make the change to stay competitive, and we wanted to make it for our customers and for our franchisees," said Richard J. Bowen, Honey Dew founder and president. The look will be incorporated into all new stores. In addition, 90 of the company's existing 155 sites will be renovated over the next three years. The redesign features rich reds and warm beiges with subtle teal accents. There will be two looks, depending on the location. One is contemporary New England and the other Colonial. Even the floors are unusual, covered with a special linoleum that resembles hardwood. For the first time, the company is selling its coffee by the bag alongside travel cups, reminiscent of other doughnut shops. Once the company made the decision to update its look, it could have hired a designer and sent a mandate to franchise owners. Instead, Bowen said, the franchisees were included in the process. The teal accents were their idea. They also nixed a countertop material that would have been scratched by coins being pushed around. Honey Dew executives believe the changes will help them draw and keep local customers from 800-pound gorilla Dunkin' Donuts and financially troubled Krispy Kreme. The company also plans to add 12 stores this year. Dunkin' Donuts, in contrast, announced recently that it reached agreements with 20 franchisees in January to open 59 stores. Though Honey Dew's growth is slower than other chains, it's appropriately controlled and steady, Bowen said. Indeed, Krispy Kreme's problems can at least in part be traced to too much expansion too fast. It will also help the company cash in on the country's growing taste for doughnuts. Nationally, doughnut chains served 150 million more people last year than the previous year, according to the Food Industry Service.
