The votes are tallied, and five kids, five grown-ups, and three Bashas’ Family of Stores members (employees) are finalists in this year’s Donut Flavor Craze Contest.
Of the 13 Arizona residents is Emily B., age 8, who submitted her donut: Chai-Tastic: A baked, spicy donut with a cinnamon glaze, made with cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger, and Greek yogurt.
The sixth-annual contest invited Arizona kids and grown-ups to draw some inspiration from their previous travels to dream up the best new flavor for the hometown grocer’s donut cases. The donut flavor finalists did not disappoint, with ideas themed around everything from a Greek Baklava donut and a Peru-inspired, Bavarian-cream-filled donut to a Limoncello-flavored cake donut, an Arizona Prickly Pear donut, and an Aloha donut with pineapple and coconut flavors.
Three winning donut flavors (one youth, one adult, one member/employee) will be selected by a panel of local celebrity judges just in time for National Donut Day next Friday, June 4. The winning donuts will be available in Bashas’ bakery cases across the state for a limited time, during the month of June, joining the grocer’s additional 59 donut flavors and varieties that are available year-round. Bashas’ is known for the made-from-scratch bakery treats that it makes each morning, including donuts, fritters, croissants, Danishes, brownies, frosted cookies, cakes, cupcakes, and more.