BYU alum Josh Kunzler is offering a unique approach to doughnuts — at his shop Spudnik Donuts, they use potatoes in their recipe.
Potatoes, he said, help the dough retain moisture, keeping the doughnut fluffy and fresh.
“I decided during the second year of my MBA program to kind of test out the concept and we did some pop-ups and we did a few catering orders and the reception was really positive so I decided to pursue it,” Kunzler said.
According to Jaden Kunzler, an employee at Spudnik Donuts, it took the whole family to get the shop started.
“It hasn’t been easy, it started with just the family helping (Josh) out,” Jaden Kunzler said.
As Spudnik Donuts has grown it has built a menu of different experimental doughnuts that rotate out each week.
According to Josh, the only staple on the menu is the “The Little Green Man” — a pistachio cream doughnut with raspberries and white chocolate. That doughnut won “Best Doughnut” at “The Dough Show,” the nation’s largest doughnut festival.
Values taught at BYU, such as caring for others or providing for those in need, are an important part of Spudnik Donuts, according to Josh.
“With me and the business that I am trying to build here it’s very important to do things in a way that is very values-driven,” Josh said.
Josh said Spudnik Donuts has provided for the community by giving doughnuts to local organizations that he believes could benefit from the pastries.
Another thing that sets Spudnik Donuts apart is their hours of operation.
Josh grew up in Salem, Oregon, where doughnut shops were open all day. However here in Utah, he said, doughnut shops often close in the morning.
Spudnik Donuts opens in the afternoon and closes at night.
“I feel like it provides a unique option to Provo as far as dessert options go,” Jaden said.
As Spudnik Donuts prepares for its official grand opening in the fall of 2023, Josh is dedicated to creating a doughnut shop focused on experimentation and revolutionary pastries.
For more information, visit Spudnik’s website.
