Twin Cities donut maker's creations are taking over the metro, one vending machine at a time

MINNEAPOLIS – When Bradley Taylor left the west coast, his heart was set on becoming the next great male nurse.

While at the University of Minnesota, he noticed one thing missing – a taste of home. 

A decade later, his persistence to bring L.A. flavor to the Midwest has transported his career from the hospital and into the kitchen for good. In fact, the founder of the Donut Trap's future is looking as sweet as the donuts he thinks up.

"I wanted something that reminded me of L.A. when I'm here, when I'm back in school," Taylor said about his beginnings. "I just started messing with different [donut] recipes that remind me of back home."

Limited to his college apartment at the time, Taylor tried baking the donuts instead of frying them. The result – a new kind of treat. Taylor's donuts are as unique as their names – like the s'mores-themed "Sandlot" or Fruity Pebbles encrusted "Gay 90's". 

"When you fry them, a lot of stuff gets lost - it gets baked out," Taylor said. "Being able to bake them, not only are we able to have a moister donut and a longer shelf life donut, but I'm also able to add different layers of depth in it."

In the years following graduation, Taylor has gone from selling at pop-up shops, a food truck, a store front, and now, vending machines.

Taylor's latest method, spurred by limited opportunities for customer contact during the pandemic, is quickly taking ground. His first donut machine opened in May of 2022 – soon, he'll have vending machines at seven locations.

Locations include the Prior Building, Rosedale Mall, and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

"We honed in a certain [vending] manufacturer that was like, 'Yeah, we'll work with you dude! Whatever you need, we can do. It might be out of the box, but we'll make it work.' That's when It really started coming together," Taylor said.

Taylor's next great step – purchasing a property that will serve as The Donut Trap's permanent HQ – a place for their 12-person staff to work, but also a space for dreamers like him. 

"You can make something work that you literally just thought of between your ears," he said. "I just want to take over the world. I just want to be that guy."