“All kinds of foods can be customized nowadays, like burritos and pizza, and I wanted to bring that to donuts.”
—FENNY YAN, OWNER OF POQET DONUTS
Q: POQET IS SUCH AN INTERESTING CONCEPT. HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE IDEA OF A BUILD YOUR OWN DONUT SHOP? Fenny Yan: I just wanted to do customization for donuts. All kinds of foods can be customized nowadays—like burritos and pizza—and I wanted to bring that to donuts.
NATIVE KNOWLEDGE: Poqet is especially busy on Friday and Saturday, selling at least 1,000 donuts each day.
PERSONAL BEST: Fenny cites passion and determination as the keys to her success.
BY DESIGN: If Fenny Yan was not in the bakery business, she would love to be involved in the fashion industry.
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Q: Operating a business sounds difficult. How do you keep it running smoothly and effectively? FY: Running your own business, things are nonstop. I take time to work things out. I balance my time and focus energy on it. Q: When creating a menu, how do you brainstorm ideas? FY: Some ideas come from our pastry chef; some ideas are from me. I like to taste different flavor combinations and foods [for inspiration]. Q: Does the menu ever go through changes? How often? FY: Yes. We change the menu every month. We add and take away at least one flavor per month. Q: Is there a certain set of instructions when it comes to building a donut? FY: Yes. 1. Choose either cake or raised donut. 2. Choose your filling. 3. Choose your toppings.
Q: I bet there are some people who don’t want to take the time to build their own donut. Is there a best seller for those who don’t? FY: The glazed donut. They don’t want to spend more time to put the toppings on. Some people just like the traditional donuts. Q: What are some weird combinations your customers have used? FY: It’s been pretty normal. All the ingredients go well together because they’re fresh and sweet, so nothing’s weird. Q: What is the best thing about running your shop? FY: I can meet a lot of new friends here. I love meeting new people. Q: What are your dreams for the future? FY: I want to open more locations for Poqet. I’m looking to open more in Orange County.
Fenny Yan has made a name for herself in OC with a shop that allows not only her creativity, but also the creativity of her customers.