On October 10th, 2022, the University of Michigan’s Spoon Chapter visited Cinnaholic. The owner of the franchise, Doug Moeller, introduced us to the delicious, handmade cinnamon rolls that have helped thousands of college students needing a little pick-me-up. The catch? It’s all vegan!
The Beginning:
Opened on January 29th, 2022, this Cinnaholic franchise was one of the first in Michigan, as Moeller set a precedent of deliciously vegan cinnamon rolls. From organic ingredients to buying fresh fruits at local markets, there is a great deal of detail and care put into every order. He also takes great care to search for certified vegan ingredients, and not just ingredients labeled “vegan.” And still, the most notable substitute that truly displays Moeller’s attention to detail is his use of beet sugar in place of regular sugar. Most cane sugar is processed with bones – a fact most would overlook. Beet sugar is very similar to cane sugar and goes undetectable when mixed with other ingredients.
Instead of using print or local radio stations to advertise, Moeller prefers to work with student organizations across campus – an instant boost for both the organization and the franchise itself. The process goes as follows: Moeller finds a student organization hoping to hold a fundraiser and chooses one which he connects with. He then sets up a plan with them to create a new roll (or 2!), tailored to the organization’s liking. When he sells these new flavors, the organization receives 25% of the profits made.
Creativity:
Aside from those custom flavors, Moeller’s employees also take part in seasonal and creative ideas. They often experiment with different flavor combinations to enhance their selection, from the warmness of pumpkin bread in the pumpkin spice roll, to the delectable, sweet sauce on top of their peach cobbler roll. This process adds to the uniqueness of this franchise, setting them apart from your typical, run-of-the-mill cinnamon roll spot.
What’s Next?:
So, what does Moeller want to do next? Aside from continuing to grow this business and bring in new customers, he mentioned a few new projects he’s been working on.
New advertising: to appeal to more of the college audience, Moeller announced that he’s started a TikTok, trying to make silly, yet informative videos with him and his employees as a way to market the franchise.
Catering: Cinnaholic has been very successful with individual customers and orders, but has yet to really dip its toes into the water of catering. Moeller expressed his plan to start working with larger organizations – such as University of Michigan sports teams and sororities – to push out greater custom orders. He’s already put this in motion, as he recently catered for the Michigan Marching Band.
New Business: Over the next few years, Moeller hopes to open a new business, one that is along the same line as Cinnaholic in terms of its hidden vegan nature. His idea is a vegan butcher shop; formatted just like a typical butcher shop, but with completely vegan meats. Moeller is further pushing the notion of normalizing veganism, and this is his first step in the process.
For the 1st year anniversary of opening up the franchise, Moeller wants to recreate the big grand opening celebration that took place last year. He wants to sell cinnamon rolls for a dollar each, just as he did last year, and encourage people across town to visit to try one. If you’re interested, keep your eyes peeled for January 29th, 2023!