Making it in Ontario

·S12 E1

Reinventing the Great Canadian Donut

Jul 17, 2025
34 mins

Episode Description

Ed Atwell is disrupting the donut business. His shop in Almonte, Ontario, Healthy Food Technologies uses its own patented machinery to produce a superior donut that also happens to have less fat. In this episode, Ed talks about honing his baking skills at Country Style and Tim Hortons before striking out on his own as a donut consultant and inventor. We discuss the rise and fall of Tim Hortons’ donuts, what makes his donuts different, and what small food producers and inventors should know about patents and getting into major grocers.

  • 00:00 Welcome to Season 12 of Making it in Ontario
  • 00:54 Introducing Ed Atwell: The Donut Disruptor
  • 03:37 Ed's Journey into the Donut Business
  • 08:15 The Rise and Fall of Tim Hortons' Donuts
  • 13:19 Inventing and Patenting the Sunny Moon Donut
  • 19:59 Getting a Niche Product into a Large Grocery Store
  • 21:12 The Science Behind Low-Fat Donuts
  • 29:40 Innovative Donut Flavours at HFT
  • 32:05 Advice for Food Industry Innovators

Find Out More about Healthy Food Technologies


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About the Making it in Ontario Podcast

Making it in Ontario is your window into what's next in manufacturing. Ontario’s economy depends on manufacturing, but the latest research reveals concerning trends that could undermine the sector’s strength—if we don’t address them. Join us as we talk to CEOs and other leaders at the forefront of the sector about productivity, strategy, talent markets and career opportunities, and the role of manufacturing in a prosperous and sustainable future.

This podcast is an initiative of the Trillium Network for Advanced Manufacturing. It is produced by Storied Places Media.

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