Sidecar Doughnuts
Sidecar Doughnuts is a privately held craft doughnut and coffee retailer operating 9 company-owned stores across California and Utah, serving individual consumers and catering clients with made-from-scratch doughnuts, coffee, and a mobile loyalty program.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersCosta Mesa
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Sidecar Doughnuts does
Sidecar Doughnuts is a privately held craft doughnut and coffee retailer founded in 2012 and headquartered in Costa Mesa, California. The company operates 9 company-owned retail stores — 8 across Southern California (Costa Mesa, Santa Monica, Torrance, Del Mar, Manhattan Beach, Culver City, Fairfax/Los Angeles, Pasadena) and 1 in Salt Lake City, Utah — producing made-from-scratch doughnuts, signature coffee and espresso beverages, and ancillary offerings such as gift cards, branded merchandise, and pre-packaged variety packs. Sidecar serves individual retail consumers as its primary customer base, with secondary catering operations requiring a minimum 7-dozen order for events and corporate clients.
The business model is direct-to-consumer retail, generating revenue through in-store transactions, catering orders, gift card sales, and third-party delivery via Uber Eats, Postmates, DoorHub, and GrubHub. Customer engagement is anchored by a mobile app loyalty program (5 points per $1 spent), which functions as a retention mechanism and data collection point, supplemented by community programs including SideCares (charitable initiatives), Sidecar Stories (content), and the #SidecarClub ambassador network. The company has invested in brand-building through Food Network and Cooking Channel media features and Restaurant Design Awards recognition, positioning itself as a premium craft alternative to commodity doughnut chains.
The company is privately held with no disclosed franchise offering, no external funding rounds, no institutional investors referenced, and no headcount or financial disclosures provided. Operational evidence suggests a controlled, single-brand, company-operated model focused on retail execution, in-house production, and localized brand experience rather than franchising, licensing, or asset-light growth.
Sidecar Doughnuts firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sidecar Doughnuts
- Legal name
- Sidecar Doughnuts
- Website
- https://sidecardoughnuts.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Sidecar Doughnuts is a privately held craft doughnut and coffee retailer operating 9 company-owned stores across California and Utah, serving individual consumers and catering clients with made-from-scratch doughnuts, coffee, and a mobile loyalty program.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sidecar Doughnuts industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Doughnut and Coffee Shop
- NAICS
- Retail Bakeries (311811), Baked Goods Retailers (445291), Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing (3118)
- SIC
- Bakery Products (2050)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Donut Shops (THAFAGAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Dessert QSR (Ice Cream, Donuts, Cookies) (THAFAAAK), Breakfast & brunch prepared items manufacturing (AFAKAHAH)
Keywords
Where Sidecar Doughnuts is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Costa Mesa
Offices9 records
Markets served
Sidecar Doughnuts business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Doughnut Retail: Individual doughnut sales at retail locations. Offers daily flavors, seasonal rotating flavors, gluten-friendly weekly options, and monthly vegan options. Sold individually or in packs (6-pack, 12-pack).
- Coffee and Beverages: Full coffee program including signature blend espresso, lattes, cold brew, Vietnamese iced coffee, chai, matcha, and seasonal specialties. Also offers tea, hot chocolate, and milk.
- Catering and Events: Corporate events, weddings, parties, baby showers, and birthdays. Minimum 7 dozen order with 72 hours notice. Offers custom flavor collaborations for brand events.
- Gift Cards: Electronic and physical gift cards available in any denomination, valid at all locations.
- Merchandise: Branded apparel, hats, coffee mugs, and accessories available via separate merch website (sidecarmerch.com).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Catering minimum 7 dozen with 72 hours notice |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Sidecar Doughnuts product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sidecar Doughnuts hand-makes premium doughnuts from scratch every hour in small batches using high-quality, seasonal ingredients with zero preservatives, and pairs them with signature-blend espresso beverages. The products are sold directly to consumers through company-owned retail stores, an owned mobile app for online ordering and loyalty rewards, and an event/catering channel.
Product overview
Sidecar Doughnuts is a craft doughnut and coffee company operating as a unified retail/hospitality brand. The core offerings center on hand-crafted, made-from-scratch doughnuts produced fresh hourly and signature blend espresso beverages, supported by a proprietary mobile app with integrated loyalty rewards (Sidecar Doughnuts App with Rewards Program). The product portfolio spans Doughnuts and Coffee as the primary offerings, supplemented by Online Ordering, Catering Services, Gift Cards, and Merchandise. Community engagement sub-brands include Sidecar Stories (documentary storytelling) and the SideCares Program (philanthropy). The company also maintains an Ambassadors Program for social media advocacy. All offerings are sold through company-owned retail locations across California and Utah, with delivery supported via third-party platforms (Postmates, UberEats, DoorDash, GrubHub).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Hand-crafted doughnuts Small-batch, scratch-made doughnuts produced hourly in-store using seasonal ingredients with zero preservatives; sold individually, by the half-dozen, or by the dozen to retail consumers across company-owned storefronts and through the mobile app.
- Specialty coffee and espresso beverages Espresso-based drinks brewed from Sidecar's signature blend, served alongside doughnuts as a complementary in-store and to-go offering.
- Sidecar Loyalty mobile app and online ordering Proprietary mobile application that enables direct online ordering and houses the Sidecar Loyalty rewards program, providing a direct consumer channel for digital orders and repeat-visit incentives.
- Catering and event orders Bulk doughnut orders (trays, dozens, branded boxes) for corporate events, private gatherings, weddings, and meetings, with minimum-order thresholds and advance notice requirements, fulfilled within the company's California and Utah service regions.
- Branded merchandise and gift cards Sidecar-branded apparel, accessories, and gift cards sold through company storefronts as ancillary retail merchandise.
Quantifiable outcome
- Earn 5 points per $1 spent through loyalty program
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Sidecar Doughnuts
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Sidecar Doughnuts technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration7 records
Feature1 record
Sidecar Doughnuts partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Race ForwardminorCommunity partnership through SideCares program. Race Forward is a racial justice organization. Sidecar collaborates with non-profits whose causes align with company values.
- Color of ChangeminorCommunity partnership through SideCares program. Color of Change is a racial justice organization. Sidecar collaborates with non-profits whose causes align with company values.
- CCEJ (California Church IMPACT)minorCommunity partnership through SideCares program. CCEJ is a faith-based community organization.
- The Trevor ProjectminorCommunity partnership through SideCares program. The Trevor Project provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services for LGBTQ youth.
- Habitat for HumanityminorCommunity partnership through SideCares program. Habitat for Humanity builds affordable housing for families in need.
- March of DimesminorCommunity partnership through SideCares program. March of Dimes supports maternal and infant health initiatives.
- Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA)minorCommunity partnership through SideCares program. BGCA provides youth development programs.
- Charity WaterminorCommunity partnership through SideCares program. Charity Water brings clean water to people in need.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Sidecar Doughnuts competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Blue Star Donuts: Portland-grown premium doughnut concept emphasizing brioche-style recipes and creative seasonal flavors. Comparable on artisanal positioning and small-batch production.
- Voodoo Doughnut: Portland-based premium craft doughnut chain with national footprint and cult-brand status. Direct comparable on craft positioning, novelty flavors, and retail-led growth model.
- Sprinkles Cupcakes: Premium cupcake/cookie chain founded in California with adjacent upscale dessert retail positioning. Comparable on West Coast premium dessert retail with national brand recognition.
- Top Pot Doughnuts: Seattle-based premium doughnut and coffee chain with multi-location retail presence. Comparable on craft doughnut + coffee pairing and design-forward store experiences.
- Doughnut Plant: Pioneering NYC premium doughnut maker known for inventive flavors and hybrid offerings. Comparable product innovation and specialty positioning.
Broad incumbents
- Krispy Kreme: Mass-market doughnut chain with broad national and international footprint. Competes for the same doughnut occasion but at very different price point and scale.
- Dunkin': Mass-market coffee and doughnut QSR chain. Overlaps on coffee + doughnut pairings and digital loyalty program, but at scale and lower price point.
- Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Specialty coffee roaster and cafe concept. Comparable on signature coffee program and craft positioning paired with premium retail food experience.
Regional players
- Randy's Donuts: Iconic Southern California doughnut shop with strong local brand recognition. Same regional SoCal market but lower premium positioning than Sidecar.
- Lamill Coffee Roastery: LA-based specialty coffee roaster and cafe. Comparable coffee program and SoCal premium cafe retail positioning.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Sidecar Doughnuts social profiles
Digital presenceSidecar Doughnuts financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sidecar Doughnuts leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Sidecar Doughnuts funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sidecar Doughnuts M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sidecar Doughnuts
What does Sidecar Doughnuts do?
Sidecar Doughnuts hand-makes premium doughnuts from scratch every hour in small batches using high-quality, seasonal ingredients with zero preservatives, and pairs them with signature-blend espresso beverages. The products are sold directly to consumers through company-owned retail stores, an owned mobile app for online ordering and loyalty rewards, and an event/catering channel.
Is Sidecar Doughnuts a public or private company?
Sidecar Doughnuts is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Sidecar Doughnuts founded?
Sidecar Doughnuts was founded in 2012.
Where is Sidecar Doughnuts based?
Sidecar Doughnuts is headquartered in Costa Mesa.
How does Sidecar Doughnuts make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Doughnut Retail is the primary driver. The others are coffee and Beverages, catering and Events, gift Cards and merchandise.
Who are Sidecar Doughnuts's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Blue Star Donuts, Voodoo Doughnut, Sprinkles Cupcakes, Top Pot Doughnuts and Doughnut Plant. Broad incumbents are Krispy Kreme, Dunkin' and Stumptown Coffee Roasters. Regional players are Randy's Donuts and Lamill Coffee Roastery.
Does Sidecar Doughnuts have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sidecar Doughnuts.
What industry is Sidecar Doughnuts in?
Sidecar Doughnuts's product category is Specialty Doughnut and Coffee Shop. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFAGAE, Donut Shops, with a secondary code of THAFAAAK, Dessert QSR (Ice Cream, Donuts, Cookies). Its NAICS code is 311811 and its SIC code is 2050.