Name of company: Mad River Donuts
Name of owner: Kyle White
Location, website, email, phone: 6163 Main Street, Waitsfield, www.madriverdonuts.com/
Description of your business? We make raised donuts from scratch every day and sell coffee, tea, espresso drinks. Everything we can make from scratch we do.
Who are your customers? Anyone who loves a good treat for themselves or who loves giving a treat to others.
What makes your business unique? Besides the fresh, hand-made donuts themselves, I use as many Vermont products as we can. Such as Gaylord Farms eggs, Monument Dairy Farms milk, Sunrise Apple Cider, Cabot butter, King Arthur Flour, and any other seasonal items we can find for whatever specials I am running.
How long have you been in business? April 7 is our one-year anniversary.
Personal background: I’m 37 years old and have worked in food service since I was 16 doing the short shift at Pizza Hut. I graduated from Johnson and Wales with a culinary degree in 2014. Since then I’ve worked at a wide variety of places ranging from little dive restaurants, a steakhouse on the beach, an Asian-fusion casual restaurant, a pizzeria in a brewery, but also high end places such as Dunton Hot Springs and The Pitcher Inn here in The Valley.
My biggest belief is that food is spiritual for everybody, whether they realize it or not. I think every person has experienced biting into a sandwich or a dessert after a long day and it really hits the spot. Every bite is delicious and happiness washes over you in that moment. I truly want to capture that in all that I do with food and it's been my goal since I first started taking cooking seriously.
Best advice you would give someone starting a business? Just do it. You will never have it all figured out. Everything you had planned will be completely uprooted within the first week. Cover your bases but ultimately you just have to throw yourself out there and give it a shot. Also do not be afraid of adapting. “This is how I do it now” should be a common phrase in your mind.
What do you like best about the business? I enjoy engaging with the customers who come in. Sometimes there is no time for it when it's busy but part of the human experience is storytelling. We love to tell stories and a coffee shop is just one of those places where stories are shared. Seeing regulars and catching up makes all parties feel like they are part of the community.
What was your most fun job? I really enjoyed it when I was a lifeguard for the YMCA. Not only was I in great shape, got to swim all the time, and spent summers on the beach in the sun but I also taught children how to swim. It’s incredibly rewarding work to watch the kids grow from shy, unconfident swimmers to becoming your best little friends who are excited for class and by the time they graduate are strong, confident swimmers.
Claim to fame? The Boston Cream is by far the most popular donut. It’s funny because it was not part of my original concept for the donut shop. After cutting the donuts there is a lot of scrap dough leftover. I really did not want to waste it and cutting regular donuts out of the scrap makes them misshaped and a little chewy. But keeping the dough whole, the donuts are completely fine! So, I made up some cream filling and topped them with chocolate and the rest is history. The positive reaction was almost immediate and it became part of the never-changing “classic” donuts on the menu.
What do you like best about The Valley? I’ve been here in The Valley since 2019 and the reason I stay is because it’s sort of its own little unique place. Some people might call it boring, especially if they are used to the amenities of larger states/cities but I enjoy it a lot. Obviously, it’s amazingly beautiful but the sense of community is far better than where I grew up in Rhode Island. It feels like a combination of people genuinely care but also give you a lot of space to do your own thing. Which aligns with my own way of life. I do miss the ocean sometimes but luckily RI is only an afternoon's drive away.
What new business would you like to see move to The Valley? I think a tabletop gaming store with tables for rent would be amazing to have. I am an avid board game player and the lack of a third space in today's world is jarring. Besides work and school, where do people go? Maybe once the donut shop has a few more employees I can get something going.
Wild Card?
I suppose the biggest thing I’d like to say given the chance is a very genuine “Thank you” to everyone who has supported Mad River Donuts and enjoyed my donuts. It is very rewarding to hear so many people tell me how much they enjoy them. I’ll be honest in that the overnight shift, which for me starts at midnight, is quite taxing on the body and soul. There is something about working through the night that drains your energy more. No matter how much sleep you get, going to bed at 3 p.m. just does not agree with the body. If you enjoy any bakery at all just know those people are waking up very early to make your treats, whether it's donuts, bagels, croissants, bread, etc. and they have to live a little bit of a different life than a regular person to do so.
But like I said, the fact people enjoy the product I make and regularly come back really goes a long way in balancing out the workload, making it feel worth it.
