Nottingham’s beloved doughnut business, Doughnotts, is returning to its origins. Founded by Wade Smith and Megan Scaddan, the company is abandoning a £100,000 machine and reverting to hand-cutting its doughnuts.
The machine, introduced about seven months ago at their factory in Linkmel Close, Queens Drive Industrial Estate, has led to a decline in product quality.
Wade, who traveled to Switzerland to test the machine, initially thought it would enhance and accelerate production, with a capacity to cut 4,500 doughnuts per hour. However, the machine’s performance did not meet expectations, resulting in denser doughnuts.
“Our dough is so soft that the machine produced inconsistent cuts,” Wade explained. “This inconsistency led to the dough absorbing too much oil, making the doughnuts heavier.”
Hand-cutting the dough is more labor-intensive but delivers better results. “I love making doughnuts, but the machine has caused numerous issues,” Wade said. “Our recipe had to change, and it’s been a nightmare. Moving forward, we are returning to hand-cutting, which significantly improves our product.”
The factory supplies doughnuts to shops in Nottingham’s King Street, Beeston, West Bridgford, Lincoln, and Derby, as well as kiosks at Giltbrook Retail Park and East and West Midlands Designer Outlets. They also produce doughnuts for home delivery and wholesale.
Some customers have noted that the doughnuts no longer taste as good as they once did, and Wade believes the machine is to blame.