Down for donuts: How this team is sweetening Chiefs’ Super Bowl sugar rush with Mr. D’s(fense)
January 28, 2025 | Taylor Wilmore
Another return trip to the Super Bowl has Kansas City small businesses joining the Chiefs as behind-the-scenes special teams fueling the Kingdom. For entrepreneur Johnny Chen, the mere taste of victory just a few years ago has multiplied into a box-full of opportunities.
Johnny Chen delivering Mr. D’s Donuts at Arrowhead Stadium; courtesy photo
“The Chiefs’ success has impacted our sales tremendously,” said Chen, co-owner of the popular Shawnee-based Mr. D’s Donuts, alongside his wife, Boggie Otgonbayar. “Usually, the first quarter of the year is the slowest season for restaurants, but with Kansas City now heading back to the Super Bowl, it’s brought in a lot of business.”
Football’s postseason now carries special significance with the team’s winning streak serving as more than a point of pride, but an inspiration point for Mr. D’s creative — and eye-catching — donut designs.
While the shop drops classic glazed donuts daily, Mr.D’s is known for its hand-crafted edible works of art — this time of year, featuring such treats as Patrick Mahomes’ face, player jerseys, and other Chiefs-inspired designs.
“We started doing custom donuts six or seven years ago, starting with themes like Pokémon,” Chen explained. “When it’s playoff season, our team comes together to brainstorm ideas for Chiefs donuts. It’s a team effort to design the fondants, icing, and everything else by hand.”
Mr. D’s Donuts has even catered events for the Chiefs organization itself, giving the shop a chance to build closer ties to the team and its fans.
“That exposure has been incredible for us, through TV, social media and word of mouth,” Chen said.
View this post on Instagram
Beyond feeding Chiefs fans (and players), Mr. D’s Donuts is giving back to the community. The shop recently partnered with Kansas City safety Justin Reid’s charity, JReid Indeed — a nonprofit focused on helping young people thrive in tech-driven environments, particularly targeting neighborhoods in Kansas City, Houston and Baton Rouge.
“And we’re finalizing another charity partnership this week,” Chen shared. “We want people to know that when they support us, we turn around and support the community.”
Mr. D’s Donuts isn’t the only Kansas City brand building an appetite among Chiefs fans. Check out these confections crafted for champions.
Kingdom Cake (Chiefs twist on King Cake) — $30
McClain’s Cakery
Chiefs 13-Piece Cookie Set
3TBakers (Customizable)
Big Game 8 Piece Chocolates — $26
Christopher Elbow
Chocolate Almond-Filled Football — $140
André’s Confiserie Suisse
Chiefs 7-inch Heart cakes — $25
Dolce Bakery
8-inch Chiefs cakes — $62-$72
McClain’s Cakery (Multiple variations available, including Andy Reidcicle, Football, TNT, and KC Wolf)
Custom Sports Shapes — $23-$25
KC Pretzel Boys
Featured Business
Taylor Wilmore
Taylor Wilmore, hailing from Lee’s Summit, is a dedicated reporter and a recent graduate of the University of Missouri, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Journalism. Taylor channels her deep-seated passion for writing and storytelling to create compelling narratives that shed light on the diverse residents of Kansas City.
Prior to her role at Startland News, Taylor made valuable contributions as a reporter for the Columbia Missourian newspaper, where she covered a wide range of community news and higher education stories.
2025 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
$2M in federal funds secured for Disney’s forgotten ‘cradle of Hollywood animation’ in KC
A decades-long effort to redevelop Walt Disney’s original Laugh-O-gram animation studios at 31st and Forest, along the Troost corridor, will receive $2 million in federal funding, as officially announced last week by Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II. The influx of funding should generate “momentum” to raise the remaining money needed to complete the project, said Gary…
KC’s Westside neighborhood awarded $1M from feds to reconnect community split by I-35
A newly announced $1 million grant is expected to help reestablish a Kansas City neighborhood that was cut off from itself and opportunity thanks to past transportation infrastructure decisions — part of a $1 billion plan to right what many call a decades-long wrong largely perpetrated against historic communities of color. In a first round…
‘Work to support our innovators is never done’: NXTUS leadership transition follows massive impact expansion
WICHITA — NXTUS, a nonprofit working to connect startup founders with community resources, capital and customers, on Tuesday announced a top-level leadership change while celebrating milestones in the rollout of its work to help innovators and entrepreneurs grow “companies of significance” in Kansas. Mary Beth Jarvis, who joined Wichita-based NXTUS as executive director in August 2019,…
KC restaurants await flyers at the new terminal; here’s what it took to get ready
Editor’s note: The following story was originally published by KCUR, Kansas City’s NPR member station, and a fellow member of the KC Media Collective. Click here to read the original story or here to sign up for KCUR’s email newsletter. When the new Kansas City International Airport terminal opens Tuesday, it’ll be a new chapter for more than 20 local businesses who…