Jim and Rose Stoupas are the founders of Walkers Doughnuts, a brand built on family heritage, food innovation, and a passion for creating memorable customer experiences.

In Episode 120 - With a long family history in baking and a strong connection to nostalgic Australian culture, they transformed childhood memories of donuts and milk bars into a thriving franchise model. From the beginning, their vision was clear to combine authentic products, a unique environment, and strong franchise systems to stand out in the market.

Key milestones in their journey include moving production offsite to ensure quality and consistency, expanding interstate with dedicated area developers, and keeping product innovation at the heart of the brand. 

Today, Jim and Rose continue to grow Walkers Doughnuts nationally while staying true to their philosophy: create products people love, design stores that feel special, and leave every customer just a little happier than when they walked in.

0:00 Introduction

0:38 Origin story of Walker's Doughnuts

3:59 How the store environment shapes the Walkers experience

5:26 Maintaining the Walkers environment through franchisee training and store immersion 

7:22 The role of offsite manufacturing in Walkers’ growth and efficiency 

9:31 Expansion into Queensland through an area developer model 

12:22 Commitment to product quality and uniqueness as a cornerstone of growth 

14:41 Blending brand passion with food technology where art meets science

16:03 - The significance of trademarking and why it mattered for Walkers

17:10 Wrap up

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