Shipley Donuts enters Ohio with three franchise units
The brand's Buckeye State debut will be in Cincinnati in Q1 2027.
Shipley Donuts, producer of fresh, handmade-daily doughnuts, kolaches, and more, has signed a three-unit franchise agreement in Cincinnati, marking its entry into Ohio.
The deal is with Koelache Co. LLC, led by Houston-based entrepreneurs Don and Kat Koetting, along with Don’s parents, Fred and Lisa Koetting. The group plans to open its first Shipley location in Q1 2027, with the other two units expected to open through 2029.
Founded in Texas in 1936 and expanding rapidly into new markets, Shipley Donuts is known for its signature hot glazed doughnuts plus dozens of varieties of fresh, handmade doughnuts including filled, iced, and cake doughnuts.
Shipley is also reportedly famous for its kolaches, which are a Texas version of Czech pastries with savory fillings like meat, cheese, and eggs baked inside dough for a protein-forward, handheld breakfast, lunch, or snack option. Popular varieties include Bacon, Egg & Cheese, Sausage, Egg, Cheese & Jalapeno, Ham & Cheese, Sausage & Cheese, and Sausage, Cheese, & Jalapeno.
The agreement expands the brand’s Midwestern footprint with a franchise group that has local ties: Don Koetting’s father and grandfather were born and raised in Bellevue, KY, just across the river from Cincinnati.
“The Ohio market is a new frontier for our 90-year-old brand, and the Koetting family is the right team to introduce our fresh, handmade-daily donuts and kolaches to the Buckeye State,” says Flynn Dekker, CEO of Shipley Donuts. “They are exactly the kind of franchise partner we want, with a genuine connection to our products, strong financial acumen and experience with franchise systems.”
Don Koetting has a career that spans CFO roles and commercial banking, with experience serving franchise clients including Papa Johns, Burger King, Little Caesars, and Subway. His wife and co-franchisee, Kathryn Koetting, is a Tulane Law graduate and associate general counsel at Lineage, Inc., a publicly traded cold-storage and food logistics Real Estate Investment Trust.
“Shipley’s donuts and kolaches are unlike anything in the Cincinnati market, and we believe Ohio will quickly fall in love with the brand,” says Don Koetting. “Bringing Shipley to a region my family called home for generations is deeply personal, and we look forward to introducing the brand’s fresh-made favorites to the Ohio River Valley."
Franchise opportunities are available throughout the South, Southeast, and Midwest for operators seeking to join America’s fastest-growing donut and kolache brand. Additional information is available at ownashipleydonuts.com.
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