UT-Austin Entrepreneurs Create Healthy Donut Alternatives

AUSTIN, TX — A team of local, UT-Austin-trained entrepreneurs is revolutionizing the world of donuts as we know it, offering protein-packed — yet still tasty — healthful alternatives. And a recent $180,000 business prize to further develop the baked goods has given rise to future growth plans.

Amin Bahari, co-founder and CEO of Elite Sweets, told Patch in a recent interview the fledgling firm is on a mission to show people there is a healthy way to eat donuts. Their wares are ready-to-eat alternative to the popular breakfast pastry that can be eaten guilt-free and/or as a post-workout snack.

"Our protein donuts are protein-packed, gluten-free made to cure any sweet tooth without the sugary crash," Bahari said. "They're also keto-friendly and ready for even the most demanding of diets."

It's been said invention is the mother of necessity, and in many ways the aphorism applies to Elite Sweets. Amin and his twin brother, Amir Bahari — who his brother calls the "mastermind and chef" of the operation, got the idea for the healthful donuts when they found themselves having packed a few extra pounds from their shared love of donuts that they'd regularly consumer late nights.

"A lot of it was overeating and binge eating," Amin told Patch. "We wanted a healthier alternative to traditional sweets, something naturally sweet with less than two grams of sugar." A family history of diabetes further the brothers' resolve, and they changed their eating habits while keeping up with exercise.

The upshot: Amin shed 140 pounds in about two years from his formerly 340-pound frame while his brother lost 100 pounds.

But they still missed their donuts.

So the brothers got to work, tinkering with the recipe until reaching just the right balance of ingredients to make a tasty, yet healthful, donut. Tim Cole and Caleb Bluiett, both of whom played football for UT-Austin (Caleb played for the Jacksonville Jaguars last season), also are Elite Sweets c0-founders while Chris Jackson work on the product development.

Left to right: Caleb Bluiett, Amir Bahari, Timothy Cole, Amin Bahari and Chris Jackson from the product development team.

"As soon as we came up with the idea, we starting making them immediately from our apartment kitchen," Amin said of the first batch a year ago last April. "The donuts weren't great initially," he conceded. "They weren't amazing.

And yet, even those early versions were selling. The brothers started to sell their protein-heavy donuts at gyms, local fitness centers and to friends and family, and were buoyed by the demand for even their initial, rudimentary products. Having perfected the recipe, the donuts now sell throughout Austin and a 25-mile radius in such places as Pflugerville, Round Rock and South Austin.

Eventually, the right mix of ingredients was found, Amin said.

Today, the donuts also are sold online and at a pair of Austin coffee shops, 360 Uno, 3801 N. Capital of Texas Hwy., in Westlake and Café Crème, 1834 E Oltorf Stin South Austin. Online orders are delivered to customers' homes, Amin noted.

The donuts come in four flavors: Chocoloate chip, cinnamon sugar, birthday cake and peanut butter. But bolstered plans are afoot in the quest for a culinary holey grail: "We want to expand to cookies, brownies, cheesecakes, maybe seasonal offerings like a red velvet or pumpkin spice."

A big financial prize could help propel such lofty plans toward expanding the enterprise. On May 10, Elite Sweets became one of just a handful of finalists — from a field of 1,300 applicants — to win at the WeWork Creator Awards in San Francisco, given $180,000 to bolster their business.

"It was amazing," Amin recalled of the experience of winning the prize, noting he and his brother had just turned 23 years old days before, on April 27, with the prize representing something of a belated gift as well.

Yet their winning wasn't sheer luck, but informed by their college studies. Amin studied sports management at UT-Austin, earning a certificate in business management and a bachelor's degree in sport management. Amir studied economics before temporarily drop out of college to focus on the business. The two graduated from Pflugerville High School after an upbringing in the namesake city.

The entrepreneurs' strong work ethic was learned from their parents, who are now both retired, Amin said. The twins' father was an accountant with the water development board for the State of Texas while their mother worked for the Department of Family and Protective Services. Both earned their master's degrees, and pushed the brothers to achieve a college education.

"Our mother suffers from diabetes," Amin noted, pointing to another source of inspiration in launching Elite Sweets. "That's why we wanted this donut."

So what initially may have sounded like a half-baked idea (a donut that's actually good for you?!?!) is now a reality. The company on Memorial Day will run a promotion offering 10 percent off for first-time orders that will be extended to June 4 (use the promo term "donutday" to take advantage of the offer).

"The plan ultimately is to redefine the way people think of sweets," Amin said. "It's a healthier alternative for everyone. Ideally, our target market is the health-conscious. That's kind of who we're appealing to, and we hope it becomes widespread."

You can be sure the team won't fritter away this this opportunity, and the fortunes of Elite Sweets will continue to rise. For more information or to order a batch, visit the Elite Sweets website.

>>> Courtesy photos via Elite Sweets