Today we’d like to introduce you to Alex Mansfield.
Alex, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’ve been involved in the Boston-area food scene for quite some time. I started out quitting my office job, and joining the farm crew at Hutchin’s Farm and Land’s Sake, where I fell in love with the feeling of providing food for people. During one of the off-seasons, I started managing a cafe (Bloc in Union Square, Somerville), and thrived in the fast-paced service environment. After working there for a few years, I heard that the owners of Backbar (Tse-Wei Lim and Diana Kudajarova) were opening a cocktail bar, bakery and cafe, the Ames Street Deli. Seeing the beautiful pastries they were producing each day made me want to become a part of the production process, and they were kind enough to give me a shot in the kitchen (even though I had no experience baking). I learned a great deal working with them, and then left to help start Homestead Bakery & Cafe in Field’s Corner, Dorchester. Their owner, Elisa Girard, and I designed the pastry menu, and for the past two years I’ve been baking there and managing cafe operations.
Last fall, I was introduced to Peter Gladstone, the other founder of Mass Hole Donuts, who formerly worked as the head of Advertising and Innovation for Sam Adams beer. Peter had recently been to a high-end donut shop where he had a realization after ordering a dozen donuts to split with his wife (and being unable to finish most of the box). The donuts were simply too big, and there were too many flavors to feasibly try them all. What if there was a shop that only made donut holes? What if you could try all the flavors and not feel guilty and stuffed? What if they were better than regular donuts? Being from Massachusetts, he thought of the perfect name a few days later. We were introduced through a mutual friend, and being a donut lover, pastry chef, and Masshole, I jumped at the chance to be a part of the project.
We started doing pop-ups in late December 2017, and have been testing flavors and sharing our creations at breweries and farmers markets, as well as from our shared kitchen in Arlington. This summer, we are at the Egleston Farmers Market every other Saturday, next to the Sam Adams Brewery in JP. We are constantly working on improving our product and inventing new flavors, with the goal of making the best donut holes in the world. Someday, we hope to open our own brick and mortar shop in the Boston area.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I struggle to wake up at 2:30 am and get everything ready for the farmer’s markets. We haven’t opened a brick and mortar yet, so I’d imagine that’s where the real struggle will start. But overall, it’s been a good time so far, developing recipes and holding pop-ups every 1-2 weeks.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Mass Hole Donuts – what should we know?
We make donut holes, in a wide variety of flavors. Our most popular flavors are Chocolate Blackberry Nutella, Bacon Cornbread, the Green Monster (filled with lime cream, and topped with green tea white chocolate), Strawberry Cornbread Cheesecake, among others. We also serve booze-infused “Drunken Massholes,” and are developing a line of savory Mass Holes, such as the Lobster Hole, which is a giant lobster-roll donut hole. We offer seasonal flavors, and will constantly be evolving, innovating, and making our product better as time goes on. We typically offer 6-8 flavors at our pop-ups, so that one person can feasibly try them all.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
My partner, Peter, is incredible at helping to guide our business. He focuses on gathering feedback from customers, and focuses the direction of the company. My brother Josh was employed as a chocolatier for a few years, and he definitely sparked my interest in food from a very young age. I remember being just a few years old when he taught me how to fry an egg, use a French press, and make Orange Julius at home. Along the road, I’ve continued to be inspired by all the kind souls I’ve worked alongside: Jen S at Bloc, Rae and Daisy Chow at the Ames Street Deli, and countless other individuals.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.massholedonuts.com
- Email: alex@massholedonuts.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/massholedonuts/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/massholedonuts
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