Belshaw Donut Shop of the Month

Meet Belshaw’s Donut Shop of the Month for March:
1/2sies Co. in La Quinta, CA!

This month, we are excited to highlight 1/2sies Co. in La Quinta, California. Danielle Ulian and her family founded the shop in 2025 after moving to the area in 2021. She noticed a gap in the community. There was no family‑owned ice cream parlor where people could relax after games, events or dinners. Her idea grew into a colorful space filled with donuts, ice cream and joy. The shop opened in early 2026 and produces its signature treats with a Belshaw Insider and Mark V Donut Robot®.

1/2sies Co. believes that ice cream and donuts have special powers to create delight, joy, support, love, connection and community. “Our mission is to be a fun, friendly and safe community neighbor where everyone is welcome to enjoy,” says Danielle.

Why the name “1/2sies”?

Danielle knew that she didn’t want to make typical donuts. She says she dreamt one night about semi-circle moons and woke with a clear idea. She would make half-donuts. This dream also aligned with her research and experience of seeing donuts cut in half at meetings and parties.

The half shape allows people to have more control over how they eat their donuts, and they can mix and match to their heart’s desires. The name also reflects the shop because they are ½ ice cream and ½ doughnuts.. and they are so good you ‘half’ to have them.

1/2sies Co. is a friendly neighborhood hub that serves the La Quinta and the Coachella Valley with homemade donuts and ice cream crafted from fresh California ingredients. They are the first non‑chain, home‑grown shop in the area to make both in‑house.

Their Experience with the Belshaw Insider and Mark V Donut Robot®

Danielle shared her thoughts about the equipment that powers their production.

“We are enjoying the relationship we are building with our Mark V and Insider. We think she is a ‘she’ and are still developing her name. We love how intelligent she is from pumping the oil to feeding the doughnuts, frying them and cooling them off. She is consistent and a very hard worker! We love how she supports that light and fluffy texture of our dough and helps to hold their flavor. We can count on her to handle our special shaped 1/2sie doughnut with care, so she comes out looking great almost every time! Our customers really enjoy watching her make doughnuts with such ease and grace! And we love her for making our jobs easier! It’s a match made in heaven!”

Support from Belshaw Distributor, Dan at the Fischer Group

Our distributor partners play an important role in helping shops succeed. We recognize Dan Chlebowski from the Fischer Group for his dedication to this project.

Dan met Danielle early in her development stage. He worked with her in the Fischer Group mobile test kitchen using a Belshaw Mark II Donut Robot®. They explored dough mixing, yeast rising and proofing and meticulously crafted her recipe from scratch. After a few months of experimentation, “we had created a product that was not just good but exceptional—a half-doughnut that was ready to take the world by storm,” says Dan.

A year and a half later, Dan visited Danielle again to set up the Insider Mark V in her shop in Palm Desert. He said that watching Danielle's dream come to life was incredibly fulfilling, and it was clear that her unique concept had struck a chord with the community. Customers were drawn to the charm of the half-donut, eager to experience something they had never seen before.

“Working alongside Danielle Ulian to bring 1/2ies to life has been a rewarding experience that I will cherish forever. Her determination and innovative spirit have resulted in a product that has not only captivated the local community but has also set a new standard in the donut industry. As a culinary specialist at The Fischer Group, I take immense pride in witnessing Danielle’s journey from concept to reality. I eagerly anticipate her future successes and the sweet innovations that await in the world of donuts.”

At Belshaw, we are grateful for partners who bring passion to every project. We are also grateful for shops like 1/2sies Co. who trust our equipment as they build something meaningful. This story shows how creativity and collaboration can shape something special. We are proud to feature 1/2sies as Donut Shop of the Month and wish them continued success!