News.com.au reported that Sydney’s second O’Donuts location in Haymarket sold out its entire stock more than seven hours before its closing time, highlighting an ongoing consumer appetite for Japanese-style ‘Nama’ pastries.
Here is the math: crowds formed outside the Harbour Street storefront as early as 9:00 am, two hours before doors opened at 11:00 am. By 11:00 am, a queue exceeding 50 customers stretched down the street, prompting staff to enforce a strict purchase limit of one box of three donuts per customer. Despite these rationing measures, the bakery cleared its entire inventory by 2:30 pm, missing its planned 10:00 pm closing time by seven and a half hours.
Haymarket Operational Bottlenecks and Menu Pricing
The Haymarket opening follows the initial success of O’Donuts’ debut Australian storefront in Chatswood earlier this year. Founder and CEO MaoTing Chiu utilizes a specialized recipe that incorporates pumpkin into the dough, followed by a 16-hour low-temperature fermentation process designed to yield a lighter, less sweet texture than traditional American-style fried dough.
The store’s menu features more than 12 sweet and savory items. Pricing starts at $5 for an original O’Donut, while cream-filled variations begin at $7, and savory options—such as Truffle Cheese Cream, Smoked Ham, and Smoked Salmon—start at $8.80. The undisputed sales leader on launch day was the newly introduced Ube flavor, which exhausted its supply first, alongside established favorites like Matcha and Brûlée Custard.
| Item Category | Starting Price (AUD) | Operational Status on Launch Day |
|---|---|---|
| Original O’Donut | $5 | Sold out by 2:30 pm |
| Cream-Filled Varieties | $7 | Sold out by 2:30 pm |
| Savory Options | $8.80 | Sold out by 2:30 pm |
Future Expansion Plans Across Domestic and International Markets
O’Donuts has confirmed commercial intentions to establish further permanent retail storefronts and temporary pop-ups across Australia. Beyond the domestic market, the brand has slated an upcoming retail launch in the United States, testing whether its specific production methods can scale in North America.
As retail foot traffic remains concentrated around high-density transit and market hubs like Haymarket’s Harbour Street location—situated directly opposite Paddy’s Markets—the primary question facing executive leadership is whether supply chain adjustments can match sustained consumer demand without compromising the multi-hour fermentation schedule required for the product.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.
