International Donut Day is celebrated on the first Friday of June. While many people associate this sweet pastry with the USA, few people know that we also have their “capital” in Lithuania. More than 130,000 different donuts are baked in Marijampolė every day, and these donuts are enjoyed by Americans just as much as Lithuanians – we currently export donuts of 12 different flavors to America.

Donuts can be traced back to ancient Greek and Roman cultures. At that time, products similar to today’s doughnuts were baked in oil, and these treats were extremely popular in almost the entire Mediterranean region. In the Netherlands during the 17^th century, a new variation was developed from buns – known as olykoeks” or “oliekoeken” (Eng. “fat cake”) – which were made of sourdough and baked in hot oil. These baked goods have spread to other European countries – Germany, the United Kingdom.

Donuts reached the shores of America, when the Dutch and German immigrants  settled and started baking their “olykoeks”. One of the most famous creators of the donut industry is Adolph Levitt, who started selling donuts in New York around 1920. However, the greatest growth in the popularity of donuts occurred after World War II.

“During the long history of donuts, this product has changed many times and is constantly evolving into new forms. In addition to the traditional ring shape, quadrangular, triangular or full-bodied cottage cheese donuts also appeared. With the advent of the industrial age, the production of donuts became automated and mass-produced, which made it possible to expand their assortment with new flavors, fillings and glazes,” says Ramunė Puzinienė, Head of New Product Development at Mantinga, the largest producer of bread, snacks and frozen products in the Baltic States.  

According to her, the donuts that were produced in Lithuania more than 20 years ago have also gone through their evolution.

“The first donuts produced in Mantinga were round with a strawberry jam filling, then triangular and pillow-shaped donuts were later produced. At that time, technologists from Germany helped us improve the donut recipe. During this entire period, not only the donut production equipment and technology changed, but there was also a shift in consumer expectations and consumption habits. We currently produce as many as 65 types of doughnuts,” says R. Puzinienė.

Most of the donuts produced in Marijampolė are eaten not in Lithuania, but in other countries. Last year alone, more than 46 million donuts were produced, of which more than 18 million were bought and consumed by Lithuanian residents.