Donut king expands his business into Launceston as demand grows

A Tassie teenage donut king is expanding his delicious empire to another city to fill a hole in the market. STORE DETAILS >>

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YOUNG Tasmanian donut king Sunny Beatson has decided to expand his delicious empire to Launceston after his customers let him know there was a hole in that market.

The 17-year-old started making donuts in the kitchen of his Burnie home during the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020.

The entrepreneurial teenager saw it as a way to fill in time while school was closed and to make some money.

He would delivery his fluffy, glazed creations and word of mouth soon spread.

Now he is staring down the barrel at a business career as his Burnie store goes gangbusters and he prepares to open another in John St, near Myer, in Launceston.

He opened his Beadough donuts shop in Burnie’s City Square in January and the business has “gone pretty crazy.”

Sunny Beatson outside his Burnie Beadough donut store. Pic: Helen Kempton.

The business is making 700 donuts a day and Sunny now employs nine people.

He takes a trailer loaded with donuts along the North West Coast as customers tell him where he should park up and sell his wares.

“I am hoping to open the Launceston shop in five weeks time. The donuts will be made here and then driven fresh every morning,” he said.

The expansion should see his donut production double.

“I produce 8 different flavours but I am a simple man and love the plain vanilla glaze,” he said.

Burnie teenager Sunny Beatson opened his own doughnut business, BeaDoughs, during COVID pandemic. Started in his family kitchen, expanded to a proper shopfront and business is booming.

“I would look to expand into other places in Tasmania like Hobart if customers tell me that is what they want.

“I had no idea when I was googling recipes and practising making them that this would happen. I was just looking for a side hustle and to make some money to save up to buy a car.”

He now has that car and says he will party hard when he has stores worldwide.

Sunny’s donuts are yeast raised, not made from donut powder and each is handcrafted and glazed.