Food vendor's line the PNE main street but ask people to name a treat they want and mini donuts usually top of the list
"It's one of the things I come here for," one fairgoer said.
Jessa Johnson's grandfather built the original machines for Those Little Donuts five decades ago. These are updated models designed by her father
"My grandparents did it right, my dad has made improvements on that, and to just kind of keep the values the same," Johnson said.
The only major change -- the oil is now trans fat free.
"It puts out the exact same donut," she said.
Mr. Ken's Donut Factory is also family owned. It started 25 years ago in a motor home in Surrey. According to owner Jason Webb, Mr. Ken's has the most flavours.
"Cinnamon, sugar, chocolate, honey and coconut," Webb said.
And he says the testing is on going. "I've tried everything: graham cracker flavour, Oreo flavour."
And even the PNE has gotten into the act with its FunDunkers stand
"Our donuts are golden brown, they are crunchy on the outside and softer on the inside," FunDunkers' operator Chloe Ho said.
How many of them can they sell in a day?
"On a busy fair day maybe about 700 bags," Ho said.
That's more than 8,000 mini-donuts.
We wanted to see if one cinnamon sugar donut stood out above the rest. And it wasn't hard to find people willing to line up to take part in our taste test.
Sample "A" was from Those Little Donuts. "B" was Mr. Ken's Donut Factory and "C" was FunDunkers.
In the end: 17 per cent liked Those Little Donuts best, 42 per cent preferred Mr. Ken's
And 41per cent liked the FunDunkers
But just about everyone who participated said they'd eat any of them - because they are all good. Except this little guy. He prefers the Tim Horton's blueberry.
I could have asked for nutritional information -- but really -- just enjoy them.
With a report from CTV consumer reporter Chris Olsen.
