Rise of the Sweet Empire: ‘Whiskey Donut’ Joins the Ranks of ‘Dubai Chocolate’ with a New Cheongdam Factory
Dunkin’ Wonders Cheongdam: A New Flagship Store in Dosan Park
Dunkin Wonders Cheongdam has an AI-based ‘AI LAB’ donut. It applied a unique donut recipe recommended by AI that reflects the whiskey trend.
The Dessert Market is Moving Fast
The dessert market has been moving at a fast pace lately. From tang hulu to Dubai-style chocolate and ‘yoa jeong’ (the classic yogurt ice cream), a variety of desserts have emerged as trendsetters one after another.
The eyes of the trend-sensitive ’Jalpa Generation (Generation Z + Generation α)’ are now focused on Dosan Park. They are leading the search for the next popular dessert. Among them, the atmosphere of the donut category is unusual. Dunkin is opening its flagship store in Dosan Park, where Noted, famous for its ‘sold-out donuts’, opened its first domestic store.
Sold Out Donuts’ Dunkin Donut Factory in Dosan Park
Inside the Dunkin Wonders store, first floor.
Dunkin, affiliated with SPC Group and part of BRL Korea, opened a ‘Dunkin Wonders Cheongdam’ store near Dosan Park on the 12th. It is a flagship store that has been open for 30 years since the first domestic store opened in Itaewon in 1994. It is located about 150m away from Noted and a 2-minute walk away.
At noon on this day, a long line formed in front of the Dunkin Wonders Cheongdam store, which opened, with people wanting to try premium donuts. Dunkin provided Dunkin coupons, tumblers, and reusable bottles to the first 50 people who visited the store.
AI LAB Donuts and Low Sugar Filling
On one side of the Dunkin Wonders Cheongdam store, there is a ‘donut type test’ kiosk that helps you find the donut that suits you.
First of all, when you enter Dunkin Wonders Cheongdam, the various donuts on display catch your eye. There are 13 kinds of ‘Wonders Donuts’ in 3 categories: △Wondernuts △32 Layers △Puff Donuts, and 4 kinds of ‘Mini Chews’ with a mini chewy donut concept. You can see the manufacturing process of all premium donuts with your own eyes at the open kitchen (Bite of Wonder) on the 1st floor.
The ‘AI LAB’ donuts that utilize AI are also introduced. The 3 kinds are ‘Cointreau Lemon Delight Puffs’, ‘Bourbon Chocolat Puffs’, and ‘Bourbon Choux Puffs’, and they have applied unique donut recipes recommended by AI that reflect the whiskey trend. ‘Maker’s Mark’, a bourbon whiskey that is familiar to consumers, was used. Although the alcohol content is less than 1%, you must have your ID checked when purchasing the donuts.
There are also ‘low sugar filling’ donuts that utilize alternative sugars (isomaltooligosaccharide, allulose, etc.) in line with the low-sugar trend. The representative ‘Berry Much Puff’ has 8g of sugar, which is less than other donuts. A Dunkin representative said, “There are products that have reduced sugar content by 80-90% compared to existing products,” and “Product evolution is just beginning. It is a low-sugar concept now, and it may become a low-calorie concept later.”
Donut Type Test and Curation Sheet
Inside the Dunkin Wonders store, 2nd floor.
On one side of the store, there is a ‘donut type test’ kiosk that helps you find the donut that suits you. Like the MBTI test, you input your behavioral responses for each situation, and a donut that matches your responses is recommended. In addition, a ‘curation sheet’ that recommends donuts based on your taste and a ‘tasting card’ that explains the taste of each donut product are also provided.
Wonders Project and Brand Innovation
SPC Group Vice President Heo Hee-soo speaks at a press conference to unveil the Wonders Project on the 10th.
‘Wonders’, led by SPC Group Vice President Heo Hee-soo, is the name of a project that promotes brand innovation and refers to the premium concept products, categories, and stores newly developed through the project. As the name implies, ‘surprise’, the goal is to present newer, more unique, and more luxurious products and services.
SPC has incorporated the R&B know-how that its product development team and SPC Life Science Research Institute have accumulated for nearly 80 years into the Wonders Project. Vice President Hee-soo Heo said at a press conference to unveil the Wonders Project on the 10th, “We have upgraded everything from flour to starch, water, and all the conditions necessary for fermentation.” He explained, “In order to create a unique product, we have not only collaborated with global R&D, but also incorporated the R&D technology know-how that SPC Group has accumulated for nearly 80 years.”
Expansion of Wonders Stores and Products
Inside the Dunkin Wonders store, first floor.
The Wonders stores will serve as Dunkin’s flagship stores and product supply bases. The plan is to expand Wonders products nationwide through the “hub and spoke” system, which operates Wonders stores that act as hub kitchens (base kitchens) around existing franchise stores and supply handmade donuts.
First, in November, the Wonders concept will be applied to Dunkin Live Gangnam and Dunkin Busan Station Ramada, which were previously operated as specialized stores. After that, Wonders stores will be opened together with Hub Kitchens in regional flagship stores. Additionally, Incheon and Chungcheong regions are being reviewed.