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Winchell's Donut House Celebrates 55 Years

Bakers Prepare for Halloween, Their Busiest Day of the Year

Winchell's Donut House, home of the Warm 'n Fresh Donut, announces its 55th anniversary as it begins celebrations for Halloween, the company's busiest day of the year. Over the decades, Winchell's has established a reputation as Southern California's home for festive Halloween treats, and this year is no different as they celebrate their anniversary Wednesday.

"Winchell's has long been a part of what makes Halloween special in the southland," says President Bob Zanolli. "Since this is such a landmark year for us, our Winchell's bakers will be working harder than ever to make our Halloween donuts as special as our anniversary is to us."

Winchell's will begin offering their Halloween donuts in showcases on Oct. 8, the anniversary of the day the first Winchell's location opened in Temple City, Calif. Stores will begin taking orders for Halloween on that day as well.

Winchell's donut locations typically double their normal business for the Oct. 31 holiday as schools, businesses, organizations and individuals request their favorite Halloween donuts.

"There is a lot of artistry that goes into decorating these tasty little rings of heaven," says Mel Alison, a 42-year veteran and Chief Baker at Winchell's. "In 55 years, the process hasn't changed. All of our donuts are still made by hand, even though the number of requests continues to grow."

Each Winchell's location has an experienced baker on staff. These dedicated craftsmen arrive at their stores in the early morning hours each day to prepare fresh products for their customers. From the extensive preparation of the dough (mixing, rolling, kneading and proofing) to the creative instinct that drives them to create the swirls of color icing on each donut, Winchell's bakers are masters of donut artistry. This year's anniversary will pay special tribute to the bakers and their importance to Winchell's success.

Celebrating its 55th anniversary, Winchell's, the home of the Warm 'n Fresh Donut, is headquartered in Santa Ana, Calif. Winchell's is the West Coast's largest donut chain and has about 200 shops in 10 states, plus locations internationally. With more than 70 varieties of Warm 'n Fresh donuts and bakery products, Winchell's offers a diverse menu that includes cinnamon rolls, muffins, bagels and croissants, as well as a large beverage selection including their legendary blended coffee, frozen cappuccino, juices, milk, tea and soda. For more information or to locate a Winchell's near you, visit www.winchells.com or call 866-MY-DONUT.