With 91 stores in Europe, the company Dreams Donuts has experienced rapid growth in just 4 years. CEO Ilyass Aoussar received the Wallonia Export Start Award this week, which recognizes a company less than 5 years old for its innovation and international prospects.
In just 4 years, Ilyass Aoussar has become the king of donuts in Belgium and France, and is now setting out to conquer Europe before challenging the Americans on their home turf. In 2020, Ilyass Aoussar opened his first donut shop in Charleroi. In 2024, Dreams Donuts received the Wallonia Export Start Award, which recognizes a company less than 5 years old for its innovation and international prospects.
Since 1991, the Grand Prix Wallonie à l'Exportation, renamed in 2022 as the Wallonia International Business Awards, has been awarded every two years to companies that have made significant efforts and successes in foreign markets, enhancing the visibilité of these companies and the reputation of Walloon products, services, and expertise internationally.
"Since receiving this award, the company has been buzzing with excitement. We are very proud and honored to have earned this title. We’ve been working very hard for the past 4 years. It’s a great achievement, and we’re incredibly proud to receive this award," says Ilyass Aoussar, CEO of Dreams Donuts, based in Mons.
The idea of getting into the donut business came to him after a trip to the United States. "About 6 or 7 years ago, I went to the United States. I noticed there were lots of donut shops over there. So, I decided to enter this field. I opened the first Dreams Donuts in Charleroi in 2020. Initially, it was a small, modest store. After three months, I had already opened two more stores," explains the entrepreneur, who originally intended to start a small family business.
Today, Dreams Donuts is present in Belgium, France, Italy, and Spain. The company has 92 stores and aims to surpass the 100-store mark by the end of 2024. "We’ve worked hard for this result. We were also able to count on the support of AWEX when we launched in France in 2021 by participating in a trade show. Today, I’m proud to say that Dreams Donuts is the leader in France," he explains.
What’s the secret to Dreams Donuts' success? "We are more efficient, and above all, we offer customized donuts for events. We provide made-to-order products for our customers. In addition, we offer a wide variety of flavors, which we change every week. We spend a lot of time crafting new tastes. We also use high-quality Belgian chocolate," adds Ilyass Aoussar.
In the coming years, the Walloon entrepreneur hopes to open more franchises in Italy and Spain and become the European leader. "It’s clearly my ambition to become the European leader in the donut market. And after that, why not enter the American market? It’s certainly a dream," he concludes.
