After years of work in Oklahoma City’s restaurant industry, Andrea Koester wanted to break out and start something of her own. Banking on her experience with one of OKC’s first food trucks, Big Truck Tacos, she kickstarted her own business, Holy Rollers Donuts.
Bringing Donuts to the OKC Food Truck Scene
With the growing success of the H&8th Night Market came an abundance of new food trucks. Andrea noticed, however, that there weren’t very many breakfast or dessert options available. To distinguish Holey Rollers even further from the competition, the baked goods were vegan as well.
“In the very beginning, I had another business partner and she was 100% vegan and I was trying it out so we kind of went with this whole vegan donut thing. It quickly became clear to me that there was something missing in the market that was dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free, all of these things that people are searching for,” Andrea added. But don’t be fooled by the vegan label. Andrea told us that the main goal is to make a delicious product. The fact that the donuts are healthier than your average fried dough treat is just an added bonus.
Holey Rollers began selling donuts to local coffee shops to generate buzz and get the word out about their pastries. Once they gained a little traction, it was an easy transition to a food truck. “I really got to learn how much a truck can help promote your business and get the name out there, so that’s the reason I went that route,” said Andrea.
This led to them transitioning to a 1962 Zipper Camper Trailer, which was up and running at the Urban Agrarian Market and for special events by the spring of 2016. Success quickly followed, and their fanbase grew. They were able open up a permanent home in the Paseo Arts District by the end of 2017.
Perfecting the Product in the Paseo District
Andrea brought in the former chef at Urban Agrarian, Tim Mort, once they landed on the Paseo space. Once they had their own kitchen, he perfected the recipes for the donuts currently on the Holey Rollers menu. “His recipes were all very scientific. His background was in chemical engineering and he quit to go to pastry school his senior year,” Andrea told us. “It was really cool to watch that process come together.”
Along with updated donut recipes, the permanent location allowed for an expanded menu including a full coffee bar and savory items like house-made english muffins and breakfast tacos. Andrea also found it to be a great promotional tool. “The great thing about being in this space now is having the two outlets to play on each other and having the trailer promote that we also have a cafe now really helped,” she said.
Holey Rollers is a prime example of how OKC’s food truck culture continues to produce unique (and delicious) businesses around the city. Catch them as they continue to roll around town, or grab a table at the shop in Paseo. We recommend asking about the specials, but you can never go wrong with a classic vanilla bean donut either.
Truck to Table is a series highlighting the growth and development of Oklahoma City food trucks and how many have opened brick-and-mortar locations. The Tasty Escape is partnering with Visit OKC to showcase the success stories for some of OKC’s most popular “truck to table” restaurants.
Be sure to read the other Truck to Table features about The Hall’s Pizza Kitchen, Off the Hook, and The Loaded Bowl.
I want a donut 🙁