“We will try anything, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t, but that’s the beauty of business – you learn along the way”

Megan Scaddan, Co-Owner of Doughnotts

In 2015, at 22 and 21 respectively, Wade Smith and Megan Scaddan took their first step into the world of business when they sold 12 homemade doughnuts to a friend from Facebook for a tenner. Today, they’re making a turnover of £1.5 million, and gearing up to open a fourth branch of Doughnotts in Lincoln next month. The question is, how on earth did they get here in only four years, and where does it go next?

When speaking with her regarding Doughnotts’ success, co-owner Megan Scaddan believes that they had “hit a niche in the market”, and went on to add “we are huge on customer service, and also providing a good product”. She continued, saying that their doughnuts stand out above the rest due to their “amazing flavours”, as well as following trends and allowing their staff to “be creative”. Expressing the brand’s willingness to “try anything”, she added that “sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t, but that’s the beauty of business – you learn along the way”.

Starting out in Megan’s mum’s kitchen, the couple were spending almost all their free time baking doughnuts, and delivering them around Nottingham. Before long, they managed to get their first booking, at the Nottingham Food and Drink Festival, and used all the money they had earned prior in a make or break gamble. Unsurprisingly, it paid off, and they more than doubled their investment at the event, and the business only continued to grow from there. I myself first encountered them when they were but a humble “Nottingham Doughnut Company” stall in the Old Market Square, and admittedly have been hooked ever since. 

Discussing milestones, Megan believes that “the main one was when we opened our first shop”, and added “I think that was the turning point for us to realise how successful this business could be”. At that time it was certainly hard to deny the brand’s popularity with regular out-the-door queues, and fast-growing adoration of their social media pages which did nothing but contribute to the store’s success. After rebranding as the catchy “Doughnotts”, the business opened its second store location in Derby in 2017. It was only a short 7 months later when a third store opened in Leicester; irrefutable proof that the business showed no signs of slowing down any time soon. She continued, saying “we are coming up on our 5th year of business, and are about to open our 4th store, so I’d say that’s a huge milestone too”. Even very recently Megan and Wade were listed in Nottingham’s 30 Under 30 Awards for 2019, as recognition for their incredible success in building such an acclaimed business in only 4 years.

The business continues to uphold its popularity through a variety of avenues, whether with it’s ever growing range of doughnuts and the increasingly creative flavours, or branching out into the sale of other baked goods, vegan friendly products and coffee in partnership with Nottingham’s own 200 Degrees Coffee. Megan describes her partner Wade as “the ideas man”, because “every day he has something new he wants to try”. “We were very young when we started the business,” she added, “and I think we keep it young – we take inspiration with what’s going on around us and we give it a go”. In more recent times, the Nottingham store relocated to a new premises on King Street, and partnered up with Ruffles Dog Bakery to sell their “Doggy Doughnuts”, so your canine companion isn’t left out should you ever bring them along to the shop. The brand continues to adapt and refresh itself in a variety of interesting and exciting ways, which undoubtedly has played a big part in it’s success. 

As for the future, the business is getting ready to open it’s newest branch in Lincoln’s Cornhill by the end of next month. When asked about their plans following this, Megan said that “anything is possible – we have a long way to go, but can see it becoming a national brand”, and went on to say, “we want to be in every major city, and we are already planning our next location after Lincoln”. If their rapid rise to success is anything to go by, it definitely seems as if Doughnotts is on a crash course to national dessert domination.