Shipley Do-Nuts was founded in Houston in 1936 and grew into a well known franchise built on handcrafted do-nuts, kolaches, and fresh-brewed coffee. By 2024, the brand offered 60+ do-nut varieties and was expanding into new markets at a rapid pace.
Growth acceleration happened under private equity ownership and Shipley opened more than 30 shops in 2024, pushing the system toward the 400-location mark in early 2025. This surge created pressure on internal teams to manage digital setups, menu updates, onboarding, and ownership transitions with greater consistency.
Shipley already had internal processes in place, but the pace of expansion required more hands and deeper digital expertise. That was the point when 5&5 stepped in to support the system and bring needed consistency across the brand.
Shipley’s rapid expansion revealed several operational gaps that needed attention. These gaps showed where additional structure and support would be essential for the system to scale with confidence.
Scaling Faster Than Systems Could Keep Up
Shipley was opening a high volume of new locations each year. Each shop required digital setup, menu configuration, testing, validation, and coordination across internal departments and franchise owners. The brand needed more support than the internal team could carry on its own.
A Need for Standardization
Even with defined internal processes, many steps were being handled independently by franchisees. This created inconsistent digital setups. Some menus did not follow brand standards and some new shops needed more support to get fully online before opening. Standardizing digital setup across shops became increasingly important for maintaining a seamless experience.
5&5 addressed the brand’s needs by taking ownership of critical workflows and introducing clearer, more reliable processes. The approach strengthened day to day operations and supported Shipley’s broader growth goals.
Shipley’s partnership with 5&5 moved far beyond an initial consultative relationship. Daily collaboration with Shipley’s IT and operations teams shifted 5&5 into a true extension of the brand’s internal structure. Trust, consistency, and reliability became the foundation of how the teams worked together.
Complete Digital Setup for Every New Shop
5&5 now manages the full digital opening process for new locations, including:
Instead of waiting for updates from Shipley’s internal team, 5&5 drives the process from start to finish.
Ownership Transfers Turned into a Predictable Workflow
5&5 successfully migrated ownership transfers from a challenging internal burden to a predictable, managed workflow. We achieved this transformation by:
This refined process now stands as a highly valued element of the long-term support provided to the brand.
Day to Day Digital Management at Scale
On top of new shop openings and ownership transitions, 5&5 continues to manage menu updates, system changes, and web sub maintenance. The team also supports Shipley as it adopts new digital initiatives, including new ordering technology, while ensuring all updates connect cleanly to Olo.
Areas of Support
By tightening processes and creating reliable digital workflows, Shipley saw measurable improvements across operations, franchisee experience, and overall system performance.
With new ownership and ambitious growth plans, Shipley is preparing for another strong year of expansion. The brand is entering new markets, onboarding new franchisees, and modernizing the guest experience through updated digital platforms.
5&5 will continue supporting that growth by strengthening new opening workflows, refining ownership transitions, and keeping all digital systems aligned with brand standards. As Shipley accelerates into its next phase, the team knows they have a partner in 5&5 that can truly handle the operational load that comes with scaling a large franchise system.
Hear from Kerry Leo, Shipley Do-Nuts’ Vice President of Technology, as he discusses 5&5’s support and the impact that having our team as a true partner has made on their operational efficiency. You can watch his conversation with 5&5, SynergySuite and CIS in the recorded webinar.
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