Gourmet ‘Deaux-nuts’ a foodie sensation

Maple-bacon, key lime pie, vanilla jalapeńo, mint chocolate chip. These are the donut flavors that Baton Rouge entrepreneur Jeff Herman serves up every Saturday morning from his small commercial kitchen space in a strip center off Jones Creek Road. Handmade in small, by-the-dozen batches and packed with unusual ingredients, Herman’s Tiger Deaux-nuts stand head and shoulders above the offerings at commercial chains in both freshness and innovation.

Herman took his culinary cues from both traditional donut bakers and the more innovative, quirky purveyors, like the infamous Voodoo Donut of Portland, Ore., to make his tasty, sugary treats. Along with the more intriguing flavors, classic American desserts are deconstructed in donut form to yield the bananas foster donut, and the peanut butter-chocolate donut.

But it’s not just the flavors that stand out—it’s the way news about Tiger Deaux-nuts is spreading. With a marketing budget of $0, Herman has relied solely on Facebook and word-of-mouth to get people to his nearly anonymous shop on Saturdays, and it’s a strategy that’s proving successful. Most Saturdays, he sells out completely within a few hours. For an in-depth look at Herman’s Facebook-fueled business model, read the full article in the Baton Rouge Business Report by clicking here. Follow Tiger Deaux-Nuts on Facebook here, and for a story on how other Baton Rouge restaurant owners are using social media to give their business an edge, click here.