Mobile business scores ‘hole in one’
As wise sage Homer Simpson famously asked, “Doughnuts, is there anything they can’t do?”
Doughnuts are one of the world’s most beloved snacks that can be enjoyed regardless of flavor, shape or size.
For a new food truck in Vacaville, that size is much smaller than an average doughnut but every bit as tasty.
Baby O’s Mini Donuts had its grand opening Saturday in the East Plaza of Vacaville Premium Outlets, serving up petite pastries in packs of six, 12 and 24. The family-owned business was founded by Jess and Patty Orfin, and running a doughnut shop is nothing new to them. Jess was the owner of Yum-Yum Donuts on Peabody Road from 1987 to 1990. However, he left to focus on raising his children.
“It’s a very loyal business,” he said. “You have to be attached to it. My kids were little, my daughter wasn’t even walking yet, and I realized it was very
tough to run a business with such a young age for us and having little babies.”
With his children now adults, Jess figured it was “time to resurface” as a doughnut shop owner. Since his son is studying business and his daughter having a degree in graphic design,
he figured he could incorporate their ideas as well.
Jess’ son Alex, who helps manage the mobile eatery, said his father saw a machine in Mexico that made miniature doughnuts. Alex decided to take it a step further.
“I brought up, ‘Let’s com
bine that with a food truck and make mini doughnuts by the bucket,” he said. “We just worked from there.”
Alex worked with his father on starting the business, and they bought a trailer for it.
Baby O’s currently has two varieties of doughnuts available — plain and cinnamon sugar — but will expand to include other types such as powdered, glazed, chocolate and red velvet. Each month, Alex said they would be offering new flavors. The business also serves a variety of hot and iced cofees, and beverages such as chocolate milk and Mexican Coca- Cola.
Alex said Baby O’s also does catering, where people can order as many as 36 doughnuts for birthday parties, weddings and other events. People requesting catering services can fill out a form on the website.
The doughnuts are made on the spot, as Jess said the goal was to sell doughnuts “as fresh as you can get.” Alex said not all of the doughnut shops provide treats that are ready to go, and that is something Baby O’s will provide.
“Our new idea is to serve the doughnuts as they’re hot and ready,” he said.
So far, Alex said it seems to have gone over well.
“We’ve seen everybody really happy eating the doughnuts,” he said. “The coffee’s really good too.”
The eatery has COIVD-19 protocols in place, including 6-feet markers for the line outside and hand sanitizer dispensers just outside the truck.
“Because of all the things going on with the COVID, we figured this was a way to make people comfortable (and) try to forget about the situation and sweeten their lives,” he said.
Alex said the plan is to have the business in Vacaville initially but then try to franchise it and open new restaurants throughout the state.
“We’ll start little by little,” he said.
Jess encourages people to come by and enjoy the simple pastime of eating doughnuts.
“We want to have them enjoy the f lavor of life through a doughnut,” he said.
Baby O’s is located outside the Ralph Lauren Store at 308 Nut Tree Road. For more information, visit Baby- os.com/index.html.