A new food truck has arrived with fresh, homemade desserts. Donut Hole is a veteran family business that, as its name implies, serves up donut holes.
Their core flavors are Frosted, Cinnamon Sugar, and Powdered Sugar. They also introduce a special flavor each week. Recent flavors include Banana Bread, Lemon Frosted, and Strawberry.
Christian Hoch and Orlando Rodriguez, both Muncy natives, are friends-turned-business partners who share a passion for food truck culture.
“I’m a firm believer that the best food trucks have a personality,” Rodriguez said. “This isn’t a specialty donut truck, this is a pure donut hole.”
Both restaurants hope to become a staple in the food truck industry, committed to creating a positive atmosphere for customers to enjoy delicious baked goods with their families.
“Food trucks create a stronger sense of community,” he said. “People go once for the food, but they go a second time for the welcoming atmosphere.”
Returning customers are considered part of the Donut Hole family.
Christian Hoch is passionate about building relationships with his customers. One of the goals of the company is to make a positive contribution to the communities where his customers live.
“Taking the opportunity to start something new and give back is a great way to serve others,” he says.
Rodriguez’s three years of experience running Empanada Shack laid a crucial foundation for this new venture. He already had the equipment and license for his first truck, which laid the foundation for the Donut Hole.
Opening the shack was challenging, but with that knowledge, the second time around, the process went much smoother, he says.
It took months to sort out all the logistics and day-to-day preparations. They decided on this approach in January, and then held their grand opening in April.
During those months, they developed a donut recipe that would appeal to customers.
Christian Hoch’s wife, Alison Hoch, is the master baker for the van. She spends hours in the kitchen every day rolling dough, frying donuts, and applying icing.
She took a pastry chef course in college before deciding to become a nurse.
“I feel like that class helped me find the techniques for the best donut recipe,” she said in an email.
To find the right recipe, she researched different dough recipes to find the tastiest. She tested five recipes and then held a tasting to select the best.
She said the most important factors in making a high-quality donut are butter and sugar. During her testing, she discovered some key techniques that were crucial.
“We tried frying and baking, but frying is best,” she said. “Also, letting the dough sit for an hour or two… makes the donuts fluffy after frying.”
She’s looking forward to the new flavors she’s preparing for the summer.
Once everything was ready, they opened at Wagging Tail Coffee Company. Donuts and coffee were a match made in heaven. The decision set the tone for their goal to build close relationships with other vendors.
The carefully curated menu allows the owners to connect with other local businesses, with the goal of elevating each other’s strengths and complementing each other.
“There’s no competition here,” Christian Hoke said. “We’re trying to work together as community organizations. We want to make each other better.”
Donut Hole has also partnered with Little Pine Coffee Company, Bucking Bean Coffee Truck and Eder’s Ice Cream.
The owners are excited for all the festivities coming up this summer. They plan to attend Williamsport Coffee & Cars, First Fridays in Williamsport, Fourth Fridays in Muncie and many other popular events.
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