The World’s biggest popcorn doughnut in Fourways

In a bid to raise funds for children of Diepsloot, Emilio’s Gourmet Popcorn commemorated World Popcorn Day on 19 January in a different way.

Owner of the popcorn spot, Emile Alexander and his staff created the world’s biggest popcorn doughnut, which measured 1,25m in diameter.

“For each purchased slice of the popcorn doughnut, which costs about R25, will be fully donated to the purchase of a stationery set for an underprivileged schoolchild in Diepsloot,” Alexander said.

He added that once a year, they decide to make the world’s biggest popcorn doughnut as a means to help underprivileged schoolchildren from Diepsloot by donating all the proceeds to charity.

“At Emilio’s we pride ourselves on our premium gourmet popcorn and we also practice popcornology, which is the art and sign of using popcorn as a canvas to craft amazing culinary creations. Hence, we wanted to create such a big culinary masterpiece,” Alexander said.

He added that last year they managed to supply over 200 pencil cases to schoolchildren from Afrika Tikkun in Diepsloot. “Last year we managed to sponsor 250 schoolchildren and this year I think we will be able to sponsor 530, which is thanks to AGT Foods who assisted with sponsorship.”

AGT Foods joined the charity initiative and supplied Emilio’s with 50kg of popcorn kernels and a donation of R5 000 towards the project.

Filled with nothing but sweetness, the popcorn doughnut took close to nine hours to make, which made it worthwhile that the rewards go to the children in need.

Alexander hoped that next year they will create a two-metre popcorn doughnut which will sponsor 1 000 schoolchildren and hopefully make it into this year’s Guinness Book of Records.

“The reason I do this popcorn doughnut every year is because of the happiness it brings me seeing the proceeds going to children in need as January and February are very challenging.”

Alexander added that what it also does personally for him, it breaks his attention from thinking that business was bad the first three months of the year, which made him become more creative.

“Giving back keeps me in a happy space – for when I give, it makes me happy, which helps me solve any challenge I need to solve in those first three months of business.”

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