Filipino restaurateur Mikee Villareal and the team behind Dot Coffee are changing the way we think about staples by marrying a doughnut and a bagel
You might have heard of the brookie (brownie-cookie), cruffin (croissant-muffin) and even a cronut (croissant-doughnut) burger, but have you heard of the dagel? These portmanteaus have signalled the coming of delicious hybrids and the ever-changing F&B industry.
Keeping ahead of trends is Mikee Villareal, restaurateur and co-founder of MadEats. She may have started her career in traditional dining and previously operated a delivery-only kitchen business, today, her company offers five dining concepts including Dot Coffee and has pivoted from ghost kitchens to physical kiosks.
As of January 2024, Dot Coffee, their grab-and-go concept serving coffee and pastries, has nine physical locations around Metro Manila and has plans to open more. “This doesn’t mean we’re closing our doors to more concepts. This year, we’ll be focusing on Dot and we’ll be launching products that pair well with coffee,” shares Villareal.
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As with any concept in the service industry, Villareal, alongside her co-founder Keisha Lao and COO Roselle Alteria, innovates by listening to what their clientele desires. “We observe their lifestyles and what their interests are. We have customers who want their caffeine fix in different ways. They ask for things like less acidic roasts, more nutrition, added protein, a milk alternative and even a caffeine dessert. We have a cup of joe for everybody,” Villareal adds.
This is how the Dot Coffee team innovates and creates something as marketable—and versatile—as the dagel.
What is a dagel?
Keisha Lao (KL): If a doughnut and a bagel were to have a delicious lovechild, it would undoubtedly be the dagel. What sets the dagel apart is its distinctive preparation method. Combining the time-honoured tradition of boiling and baking—typically associated with bagels—and the sweet, indulgent dough of a doughnut, the dagel is a hybrid creation that defies traditional categorisation. Picture the outer crust of a bagel but with the soft and pillowy texture of a doughnut.
How did you come up with the concept of the dagel?
Roselle Alteria (RA): Dot has always been the kind of concept that likes to put a twist to something familiar and it has always been in the pipeline to create products that pair well with Dot’s beverages.
We’ve launched our line of doughnuts before and at the time, one particular product stood out: the ham and cheese doughnut. So, it was clear to us that our customers wanted a filling meal that paired well with their power drink. When we decided to launch it, we wanted it perfect for both savoury and sweet tooths. As a result, the dagel currently comes in three sweet and savoury flavours each.
Why do you think this would be successful for Dot Coffee, particularly for the Filipino palate?
RA: The hungry Filipino consumer is more curious now than ever and our customers love trying new things. Learning from our customers gives us all the insights and we believe that the Filipino market is always on the lookout for new and innovative food products!
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