I MUST admit: my daughter and I are not donut eaters. Therefore, if you would see us munching on one, it could only be two things: we are starving or the donut is just irresistible.
On January 1, a new destination for foodies who are looking for a new product to try opened in SM City Davao. TOPMOP, which is located near the supermarket and the carousel, is one interesting brand. It is not the typical donut we see in the market today. Well, they have the classic flavors, too, which children will surely love. But I must say, theirs is still different because of the flavor’s richness and each variant is made with the right sweetness as well. Not too sweet, not too bland.
Apart from the regular donut flavors, they also have variants which have been infused with some of the most popular alcoholic drinks. There is one with rhum, while the other has vodka or tequila.
Shin, the owner of the brand, shared with Fashion Nook how her husband, Arnold Y. Claveria, got the inspiration for their delicious and unique donuts.
“TOPMOP Donuts basically means Top Made On Premises donuts. It is about donuts freshly made everyday. Our chef/owner has been an international pastry chef in a cruise ship for 10 years or so. He also worked in Australia for several years where he had this donut inspiration and thought of bringing it here locally and see how Dabawenyos accept it,” she said.
When asked why they opted to start their own brand rather than get a franchise from the existing ones, Shin pointed out that it was really their desire to introduce a local brand. Thus, despite the risk it entails, they still went on with their plan.
Well, that decision is just wise. By having their own brand, it is much easier to innovate, which she agreed.
“We chose donuts because we personally love donuts. And it is easier to be creative with it by putting in some alcohol with the filling,” she said.
When it comes to the stiff competition, she had this to say, “Competition is always there in any business. It is what makes life exciting and brings out the best in you. We took the risk and see how it goes. That's our mantra. It is better to try and (hopefully not) fail than fail to try (and regret it in the future),” she emphasized.
“Our donuts are basically unique and real. Real in a sense that our donuts' fillings are really what they are named for. If you say Mixed berries mousse with tequila rose, it’s really those real ingredients inside the dough. Other donut brands all have the same filling and just vary on what you see on the outside appearance. We have a wide range of classic and ‘drunken’ ones. And, our dough, yes, not so sweet to compensate with the fillings.”
Their prices? There is nothing to worry about that. Just like their donuts' flavors, their prices will never leave you disappointed as well. There is nothing above P69.
Among the perfectly created donuts of TOPMOP are Belgian choco topped with Milky Way chocolate, salted caramel with Sailor Jerry spiced rhum topped with salted caramel kisses, Classic Reese’s peanut butter topped with Reese’s cups, Nuttela topped with Belgian choco stick, butterscotch Bailey with Butterfinger choco, Smirnoff vodka with Belgian choco cream topped with Twix choco, Oreo cream cheese with cookies ‘n cream Hershey drops, tiramisu with white Belgian choco glaze topped with choco minis and walnuts and salted caramel with Snickers choco.
By the way, you have to watch out for their upcoming flavour –matcha donuts! I am sure, a lot of my friends out there are excited to have a bite of this bitter-sweet goodie.
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