Derrick Faulcon, who was incarcerated for 11 years, is now the founder and CEO of Cloudy Donut Co., a vegan donut shop that just became the first-ever Black-owned business in Brooklyn Heights, New York City.
Their donuts are 100% vegan, made with ingredients such as applesauce, coconut milk, and shortening instead of animal products.
“[Being the first] means a great deal to us, and we’re proud of it, but it’s just
the first step,” Zewiditu Ruffin, the company’s Brooklyn Heights shop operator, told VegNews.Cloudy Donut Co. opened its first shop in Baltimore, MD in 2020. Derrick said he was inspired to venture into the vegan donut business when he became a regular at a local vegan donut shop in Baltimore, near a brunch restaurant that he owns called Home Maid. He reached out to the owners for a business partnership but was surprised as he was told they were actually open to selling the business.
Faulcon immediately took the opportunity to take over the business. He revamped the shop’s branding while keeping its fully plant-based operations. Following the success of the first shop, even amid the height of the pandemic, Cloudy Donut Co. opened its second Baltimore location after a year.
As the brand seeks to “reverse gentrify,” Faulcon and Ruffin chose to open shops in predominantly white areas. They ultimately decided to open a third location in Brooklyn Heights, which is one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in Brooklyn and New York City.
“Reverse gentrification is this ideology that we bring out Black-owned businesses into predominantly white, affluent neighborhoods in order to bring visibility, diversity, and awareness,” Ruffin said.
The rather unusual business model has brought the brand immense success. They often have lines out the door, with customers raving about the mouthwatering, fluffy, vegan donuts on social media.
Cloudy Donut Co. currently has over 40 unique, tasty flavors with 8 different flavors being offered each week. The shop also has two dog-friendly donut options for customers with companion dogs.
Learn more about Cloudy Donut Co. via its official website at CloudyDonut.com
Also, be sure to follow the brand on Instagram @Cloudy_Donuts
This article first appeared on BlackBusiness.com.