Mamasdonuts Hastings owner elated after 300 donuts meant for cancelled Matariki event sell out in 20 minutes

Mamasdonuts Hastings owner Emily Whiu was overwhelmed when the community rallied to buy 300 donuts in 20 minutes.

Full hearts and stomachs were aplenty in Hawke’s Bay on Wednesday when the local community turned out to help a business that had been left saddled with 300 freshly baked donuts made for a weather-cancelled event.

Mamasdonuts Hastings owner Emily Whiu and her team had spent hours crafting the tasty treats, but the unfortunate timing of wild weather in the region meant they couldn’t go to the intended event.

“We were due to go sell donuts at a Matariki event, and then due to the weather, it was cancelled last-minute,” Whiu told Hawke’s Bay Today.

On Wednesday, Hawke’s Bay was under a MetService orange heavy rain warning as downpours, high winds and swells hit the region.

“It was no one’s fault, but we were left with 300 donuts.”

Wednesday was not a day their Hastings shop was open, but Whiu put out a call on social media to see if the community would come down anyway to purchase them and make up for the loss.

“We had to come up with a bit of a plan in order to sell them all.”

“Soon enough people flocked to the store, with the donuts selling out in record time. We had a big line out the door, and my phone was popping off,” Whiu said.

Within 20 minutes, all 300 donuts had been sold, with people continuing to turn up in support.

In a Facebook post, Whiu said she “could cry” after seeing the response and thanked the community for braving the rain to help her business.

“I followed up with a story thanking everyone for the overwhelming response and told them not to forget we were still open for the next three days,” she said.

Thursday had also been quite busy, Whiu said, and she expected a few more people to come through on Friday and Saturday as well.

Mamasdonuts Hastings celebrated its fifth birthday in June this year after opening a shop across from Hawke’s Bay Hospital in 2019.

Whiu, who is Hawke’s Bay born and bred, came across Mamasdonuts in Hamilton while visiting relations and decided to set up a shop here.

The business offers takeaway and catering orders with various flavours and fillings, including salted caramel, blueberry and apple cinnamon.

Mitchell Hageman joined Hawke’s Bay Today in January 2023. From his Napier base, he writes regularly on social issues, arts and culture, and the community. He has a particular love for stories about ordinary people doing extraordinary things.