Doughnut equipment manufacturer moves from California to Sioux Falls
June 6, 2022
One of the industry’s only manufacturers of heavy-duty equipment for doughnut and bakery equipment has moved from California to Sioux Falls.
Avalon Manufacturing had been located in California since it was founded in 1927. Owners Troy and Tamra Enger are global suppliers to grocery store chains, doughnut shops and bakeries.
Troy Enger is originally from South Dakota and bought the business in 1993.
“We’ve just had it with California and all the problems out there, the taxes, the regulations, the traffic,” Tamra Enger said. “It was bad.”
They decided before the pandemic to move out of state and then it slowed them down some, but they’ve been operational from their new building at 4301 N. Northview Ave. in northwest Sioux Falls since March.
“We sell a lot in Texas and down South, and South Dakota is not a big market for us, but it’s smack in the middle of the country for shipping purposes,” Enger said.
Their products include doughnut fryers, oil and shortening filters, doughnut glazers, icing stations and tables, and cooling racks.
“It’s a really good niche,” Enger said. “There are only two to three people that do what we do in the world.”
Their adult children moved with them, after many years of family trips back to South Dakota for hunting. Their son works in the business, and their daughter is a teacher.
“Day-to-day life for our kids, they’re not sitting on freeways,” Enger said. “To do anything, you’re sitting on freeways, and if you want to go anywhere, you better plan on two to three hours. The airport is really nice here. We’re literally 4 miles from the airport. And we’re impressed with all the restaurants and things to do in Sioux Falls.”
They have five employees working at Avalon and would like to double that. They’re looking for TIG welders and people to work in shipping and assembly.
