National Donut Day: Donut Dive

The Valley Today

Our conversation for National Donut Day features Missy and Ryan Spielman, owners of the mobile food truck "Donut Dive."

Missy and Ryan share their story of how they came to start their donut business. Both widowed before, they married four years ago and decided they wanted a joyful business that they could operate together. Ryan, with an engineering mindset, researched extensively and suggested making mini donuts.

Missy reminisces about her first experience making donuts, which involved a friend's sleepover and campfire donuts. She admits she didn’t have much experience before meeting Ryan, who pushed the idea of mini donuts through his enthusiasm and research. The couple explains their creative process and the enjoyable brainstorming exercises they did to come up with their business plans, often discussing them during long car rides. Ryan talks about the joy of seeing people happy with their donuts.

The conversation moves to the logistics of operating a mobile donut and ice cream truck. They found a well-maintained used trailer, made necessary adjustments like installing a fire suppression system, and adapted to the challenges of mobility. Their first public event was at Canvas Community Church, and the business has steadily grown since then, participating in various community events like weddings, baseball tournaments, and shooting competitions. They highlight how they balance their full-time jobs with running their mobile business, attending events only on weekends or when time allows.

The couple describes the layout and the operation of their trailer, noting the constant learning curve involved in maintaining the truck and ensuring the safety and quality of their products. They discuss their promotional efforts for National Donut Day and share their excitement about upcoming events at a winery, a farm crawl, and a movie night at Bowman Library. They also talk about the joy of making ice cream and how it complements their donut offerings, sometimes even making custom flavors like peach for specific events.

Both Ryan and Missy share stories about the rewarding aspects of their business, like seeing kids' faces light up when getting donuts, and the flexibility it affords them to be selective about events. They also touch upon their future plans to focus fully on Donut Dive upon retirement, explaining their love for the business and community engagement.

Follow them on Facebook (and in your car!) for updates about future events.