Whenever someone mentions Lancaster PA, there are many images that can come to mind: the sight of a horse and buggy being driven down the road by a Mennonite, the farm fields and dairy production facilities that line the landscape, and a variety of Pennsylvania Dutch symbols that pay homage to the history of the region. However, Lancaster proper is home to a variety of intriguing culinary experiences that can give someone a brand new experience, like that of having a New Orleans-style beignet without having to cross the state line.
A married couple started the Lancaster Beignet Co. during the pandemic lockdowns, working out of a cloud kitchen to create a menu of southern comfort meals, which was eventually whittled down to beignets as it ended up being their most popular item. However, there’s more to the story than that, so let’s get into it.
The Feel Good Elements of the Lancaster Beignet Co.
Annie and Collins Dawkins started their business on the basis of family recipes; Collins had grown up in the south and took regular trips to New Orleans during his summertime visits to New Orleans, and his parents even made beignets to celebrate family birthdays. With a firm root in family tradition, Annie and Collins launched their business as Mississippi Gumbo Cajun Kitchen, where they incorporated not just the family recipe for beignets, but also gumbos, po’boys, and more so that they could share their love of southern cooking with others.
As already noted, the couple decided to pivot to beignets as they ended up being the most popular item on the menu, so with the rebrand to Lancaster Beignet Co. and the opening of a brick and mortar storefront, Annie and Collins had an ideal place to share their talent with the community in and around Lancaster. While similar to the fastnachts that the Pennsylvania Dutch are familiar with, the beignets that Annie and Collins made were so successful that it not just sustained the business, but enabled them to sell the business to its current owners, Ben and Luda Demora, in 2024.
Now, if you find yourself in the shop, you’re able to get a truly authentic New Orleans experience with the option to order chicory coffee to dip a traditional beignet in. Although, if you’re more adventurous, you can always opt for one of their more creative creations, such as a beignet, bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich.
The Business Lessons Behind the Beignets
There are a variety of reasons why the Lancaster Beignet Co. has grown as quickly as it has. Some of it is predictable, but some of it has more to do with the authenticity of purpose that many business owners forget once they become successful enough, but is often the secret to sustainable growth the longer you remain in business.
Pivoting to What Works
Most entrepreneurs recognize that pivoting is inevitable. As already covered in the Feel Good Friday article about The Blue Bee Cafe and Pizza Brain, small businesses develop in response to changes in how their customers work with them. Annie and Collins Dawkins wanted to develop a business around southern cooking generally, but they found that the most reliable stream of income came from their beignets, so they chose to remove all the unnecessary bulk of their business — the time and materials needed to create the rest of their menu — and focus on the things that they could do well, do quickly, and felt good for them to do.
In all likelihood, it wasn’t an easy pivot, but that innovative thinking enabled the couple to develop something that remains successful years after they sold it, because they were willing to hone their business model and operations to such a fine edge that it couldn’t help but reach their ideal customers.
Leaning Into What Was Familiar
Beignets aren’t common to the northeast; there are plenty of traditional baked goods to enjoy throughout Pennsylvania and the larger community, but beignets aren’t one of them because historically, there’s not nearly as much French immigration to the area as their was in New Orleans. However, anyone who has studied history or understands how cultures often share similarities could tell you that just because there aren’t beignets doesn’t mean there isn’t something similar.
Part of why beignets became popular in the area likely stems from the fact that they resemble fastnachts so much, making it easier to give it a try. Whenever a business launches a new product, half the battle is getting someone to understand why it could offer value to their lives, and that stems from the fact that it’s unfamiliar to them. When there’s a close approximate, it makes it easier for a customer to set their expectations accordingly, and once they do that, the love of pastries most people share was enough to carry the Lancaster Beignet Co. to stability.
Tying Their Purpose to Something Meaningful
When Annie and Collins started their business, they made a conscious decision to focus on family recipes over anything else; they made Cajun cuisine that Collins grew up with, using the same processes and recipes that had nourished generations, which was likely to pay homage to the family heritage that the couple grew from. Most businesses start this way: there’s something the founder or founders love, and that helps sustain them through the ups and downs of building the machine that will hopefully turn a profit.
What’s striking about how the Lancaster Beignet Co. business evolved, though, is the way it remained consistent in that focus even after its sale. There is nothing stopping the Demoras from changing the recipe or altering the offering in a way that cuts expenses further to juice profitability, but the fact that the Dawkins family recipe had such an authentic taste that it keeps customers coming back — even if they tried a New Orleans original — speaks volumes to the way that quality products come from an authentic desire to not just serve the needs of the owner, but also fit into the community in a way that adds value.
The Bottom Line
The Lancaster Beignet Co. may not have a hugely diverse menu of options that cater to every taste that may walk through the door, but they don’t have to, and the team that runs the organization knows it. While most business owners get caught up in the endless loop of profit maximization for its own sake — not for a strategic or operational goal — the Lancaster Beignet Co. recognizes that it can turn a sustainable profit by keeping its offerings small, its physical infrastructure manageable, and remaining focused on providing an authentic experience rather than trying to ensure massive gains. The business is an ideal example of how innovation doesn’t require massive organizational revisions to be effective.
However, you don’t need to be a business student or leader to benefit from a visit out that way; it may be a bit busy at times, but the Lancaster Beignet Co. still turns out phenomenal pastries and coffee concoctions that can serve as a nice snack at any time of day. If you do go, remember to grab extra napkins; the powder sugar tends to get everywhere (which is part of the fun).
Before You Go…
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