Puerto Rico’s 1st Duck Donuts store opens in Bayamón
Pennsylvania-based Duck Donuts announced the opening of its first Puerto Rico franchise store located in Plaza Río Hondo in Bayamón.
This store is the first of three Duck Donuts franchise locations planned for Puerto Rico, in partnership with local entrepreneurs Jorge Ramos, Juan Carlos Piñero, and Delmarie Ayala over the next three years.
This media outlet first reported on the company’s plans to enter the Puerto Rico market in February 2019. Duck Donuts specializes in warm, delicious and made-to-order donuts.
The 1,289 sq. ft. retail store in Bayamón reflects the franchise’s newly redesigned iconic beach theme and family-friendly atmosphere. In addition to donuts, the Bayamón location will also serve Puerto Rican coffee from Gustos Coffee Co., donut breakfast sandwiches, donut sundaes, select retail items, among other options.
Business partners Ramos, Piñero, and Ayala have spent their careers in Puerto Rico. They join the Duck Donuts franchise with decades of experience in the engineering, construction, project management, and real estate fields. The trio met at the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez, from which they all graduated in 1998.
“A friend told us about a warm, delicious donut with maple icing and chopped bacon that got our attention and we fell in love with the concept of made-to-order cake donuts with your choice of coatings, toppings and drizzles,” said Ramos. “We knew this was a brand that would make a great addition to Puerto Rico’s welcoming and family-friendly culture”
Duck Donuts and the franchise group is implementing required COVID-19 contagion prevention guidelines. Like all Duck Donuts, pickup orders will be made to order and delivered to customers at their scheduled pickup time.
Customers can create their own donut combination by choosing from a variety of coatings, toppings and drizzles, including traditional favorites such as chocolate icing with sprinkles and more adventurous creations such as maple icing with bacon.
For Puerto Rico, Duck Donuts has created a new combination as tribute to the classic flavors of guava and cream cheese. The stores offer a viewing area where customers can watch their donuts being made.
“We’re excited to partner with Jorge, Juan Carlos, and Delmarie to bring Duck Donuts to Puerto Rico,” said Russ DiGilio, founder and CEO of Duck Donuts Franchising Company. “We look forward to becoming part of the Puerto Rican community and to seeing our restaurants become a favorite destination for celebrations and everyday treats.”
The newcomer will compete in Puerto Rico against Krispy Kreme and smaller donut shops.
