The Makers of HORMEL Pepperoni & The Doughnut Project Introduce the Cheese the Day Doughnut

AUSTIN, Minn. — The makers of Hormel® Pepperoni, America’s No. 1 pepperoni brand*, and New York City-based The Doughnut Project have teamed up for National Pizza Party Day (May 21st) to bring pizza lovers a food mashup like no other: the Cheese the Day doughnut.

Each year on the third Friday in May, pizza fanatics across the country join together with friends and family to celebrate National Pizza Party Day. But this year, we are making the tradition extraordinary and insanely delicious with the introduction of a one-of-a-kind pepperoni pizza doughnut. Known for its trend-forward hand-crafted doughnuts, The Doughnut Project took inspiration from Hormel® Pepperoni Cup N’ Crisp, a premium pizza topping uniquely crafted to curl into a bowl shape as it cooks to crispy perfection. Deviating from their popular and beloved sweet creations, the Cheese the Day doughnut stands out as a delectable and savory doughnut, unlike anything The Doughnut Project has offered before. 

The exclusive, limited time doughnut brings to life a satisfyingly indulgent taste that invokes feelings of celebration and nostalgia at the same time. Using half of a plain and unglazed doughnut as the base, the inaugural Cheese the Day doughnut is then topped with homemade marinara sauce, fresh mozzarella and a mouthwatering serving of Hormel® Pepperoni Cup N’ Crisp. After the Cheese the Day doughnut is popped in the oven for a few minutes, this warm and savory creation is perfectly crisp and satisfying. If you don’t typically think of enjoying a doughnut for lunch, now you can!

“We knew there was no better time than National Pizza Party Day to introduce food lovers to the beloved flavor of pepperoni in an unconventional way, giving us all more reason to celebrate,” said Shane Ward, Hormel® Pepperoni senior brand manager. “We’re thrilled to partner with The Doughnut Project, who created a memorable and unique doughnut topped with pizzeria-level Hormel® Pepperoni Cup N’ Crisp.”

To celebrate National Pizza Party Day, the Cheese the Day doughnut will be available for a limited time from Friday, May 21, through Sunday, May 23, at The Doughnut Project’s West Village location (10 Morton St, NYC).

The creation of Hormel® Pepperoni Cup N’ Crisp was inspired by cupping pepperoni found in pizzerias throughout the country, which has been gaining in popularity in recent years, especially in New York City, appealing to foodies for its artisanal qualities. If you can’t get your hands on the one-of-a-kind Cheese the Day doughnut, you can enjoy the premium indulgence of Hormel® Pepperoni Cup N’ Crisp, available in original and bold varieties, which can be found at select retailers nationwide.

Established in 2015, The Doughnut Project has become the home to sweet treats inspired by fresh, seasonal, savory, and even cocktail flavors. “Our team had so much fun developing this one-of-a-kind doughnut, it actually surpassed our expectations,” said Leslie Polizzotto, co-founder of The Doughnut Project. “We are huge fans of Hormel® Pepperoni. It offered us the perfect ingredient to create this delicious and unexpected recipe, and the Cheese the Day doughnut does just that – offering a new savory option to our lineup.”

For more information, visit www.hormelpepperoni.com.

ABOUT HORMEL® PEPPERONI
As America’s No. 1 pepperoni brand, Hormel® Pepperoni is crafted using only the best, highest-quality meat and spices, and an old world dry-sausage-making tradition passed down generation to generation from 1891 to today. Hormel® Pepperoni is the perfect addition to your family’s pizza night. With an irresistibly delicious taste, everyone can enjoy — one bag can turn Friday night pizza into a pizza topping family event!

ABOUT HORMEL FOODS — Inspired People. Inspired Food.™
Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a global branded food company with over $9 billion in annual revenue across more than 80 countries worldwide. Its brands include SKIPPY®, SPAM®, Hormel® Natural Choice®, Applegate®, Justin’s®, Wholly®, Hormel® Black Label®, Columbus® and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named on the “Global 2000 World’s Best Employers” list by Forbes magazine for three straight years, is one of Fortune magazine’s most admired companies, has appeared on Corporate Responsibility Magazine’s “The 100 Best Corporate Citizens” list for the 12th year in a row, and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. The company lives by its purpose statement — Inspired People. Inspired Food.™ — to bring some of the world’s most trusted and iconic brands to tables across the globe. For more information, visit www.hormelfoods.com and http://csr.hormelfoods.com/.

ABOUT THE DOUGHNUT PROJECT
The Doughnut Project is a small-batch, handcrafted doughnut shop located in the West Village of Manhattan. The shop combines some of the best doughnuts in America with an upbeat, artistic vibe. The shop’s co-owners Troy Neal and Leslie Polizzotto create unique flavors inspired by the amazing food and creative cocktails of New York City. The yeast-raised doughnuts have glazes, fillings, and toppings that include out-of-the-box ingredients such as bacon, beets, olive oil, ricotta cheese, sesame seeds, black pepper and sea salt. The shop creates new intriguing flavor profiles on a regular basis and sells out daily. To learn more about The Doughnut Project, please follow on Instagram (@thedoughnutproject ) and Twitter (@TDP_NYC).

* Based on last 52 weeks of IRI data