MANILA, Philippines - Everyone’s crazy about donuts. Some people list donuts as one of their all-time favorite foods. Husband and wife Cello and Jutes Templo are two of these people. Their love for donuts prompted them to open up a donut shop of their own, especially since Cello had always wanted to open her very own bakery. A donut-making seminar and a several experiments and taste tests later, Cello’s Doughnuts and Dips was born.
Unveiled in the midst of the “donut boom” in the country in 2004, Cello’s originally started in the aisles of grocery stores until Cello and Jutes opened their first branch on Katipunan. Their popularity not only hinged on the quality of their donuts but also their diverse range of flavors (they have over 20). When someone mentions Cello’s it’s easy to identify them with their Oreo, Choc-Nut and Cheese donuts — flavors that are distinctly theirs.
“We were thinking of the flavors for our donuts, so Cello and I just browsed the supermarket shelves and grabbed our favorites like Oreos, Choc-Nut and M&Ms. They became one of our original flavors, along with Candy and Choco Sprinkles and Cheesy. Oreo’s one of our best sellers because how can you go wrong with Oreo?” Jutes shares.
Another thing that sets Cello’s apart in the trade is that their donuts are kept warm. “Donuts taste best when they’re freshly made. People are used to non-hot donuts. So we made it a point to keep our donuts warm as opposed to the other store-bought donuts. People are used to the cold donuts that they buy as pasalubongs. So we thought we should make different donuts. Warmer, fresher donuts taste better and we wanted our donuts to be that way,” Jutes explains.
Warmer donuts add to the burst of flavor of every Cello’s donut. The donuts are thick, compared to some donuts, which seem to be filled with air. They also don’t scrimp on the flavors, with every donut brimming with toppings and fillings. As evidenced by the donuts on th
e counter, each Cello’s donut is lovingly made to the satisfaction of the customers.
Veering away from the regular variety, Jutes and Cello continue to try varying approaches in creating new products, the latest result of which is their stuffed donuts, which are literally stuffed with different sweets like Snickers bars, KitKats and M&Ms. Each bite is filled with chunks of the chocolate bar that was fried along with the donut. Talk about two of your favorite things in one package!
Their dips are also a must-try, with choices like Nutella and dark chocolate. For special occasions, you may also want to try their Letter Donuts. People have ordered them for birthdays and even to woo their significant others for marriage (the girlfriend of one customer said yes). All letters are available, as well as numbers from zero to nine, and star and heart shapes. To celebrate a birthday, why not send donuts instead of a cake?
Like their products, the years have been sweet for Cello’s as it steadily gains popularity. It already has two company-owned branches, on Katipunan and on Taft, and franchises in SM North and Davao. But what’s sweeter is the constant praise their donuts are getting. Since their mission is to make people happy with their donuts, comments from different people attest that they are on the right track.
“I’ve been hearing comments from Americans and Canadians, which is crucial because Canada has the highest donut shop-per-square kilometer ratio in the world. They’re saying that ours are the best donuts they’ve tasted. I’ve been around Asia and I can safely say that this is the best donut in Asia,” Jutes confidently shares.