Cloudy Donut’s Rise to Fame and Historic Milestone
Zewiditu Jewel has helped turn Cloudy Donut Co. into a nationally recognized vegan brand. The business counts Serena Williams, ASAP Rocky, Addison Rae, and Ed Sheeran among its customers. Since opening in Baltimore in 2019, the company has expanded to New York and made history as the first Black-owned food and beverage business in Brooklyn Heights.
This milestone reflects the vision of Zewiditu and her partner, Derrick Faulcon. They saw a gap in the vegan baked goods market and filled it with creativity, authenticity, and community focus. The brand now draws thousands of customers, both in-store and online, and has built a strong social media presence with over 80,000 Instagram followers.
From Teaching to Full-Time Entrepreneurship
Before joining Cloudy Donut full-time, Zewiditu worked in education and the arts. Her shift into entrepreneurship was gradual yet intentional. She began helping with preorders during the pandemic while still teaching. Over time, the results and potential made the decision clear.
“After a few months, Derrick said I should come work with him at Cloudy,” Zewiditu recalls. “We compared the money I was making at my job versus working with Cloudy Donut, and it made sense.” She started on the administrative side, handling social media, but quickly became an integral part of the brand’s growth.
Using Real Estate to Build Stability
The duo’s approach to business includes strategic real estate ownership. Derrick owns the Baltimore location’s building, giving the brand more control over operations. This decision protected them from the pressures many food businesses faced during the pandemic.
When expanding to New York, they chose Brooklyn Heights for its exclusivity and untapped diversity. Zewiditu coined the term “reverse gentrification” to describe bringing Black-owned businesses to affluent, less diverse neighborhoods. In her words, it is about “doing things on your own terms” and creating representation where it is rare.
Major Collaborations and National Recognition
Cloudy Donut has partnered with brands such as L’Appartement 4F, Brooklyn Tea, Kosas, and Camille Rose Naturals. One of its most notable partnerships was with Oatly, the world’s largest oat drink company. The collaboration marked Oatly’s first North American truck tour and first partnership with a Black-owned business.
This high-profile collaboration not only boosted Cloudy Donut’s visibility but also opened the door for more Black-owned businesses to secure similar opportunities. The brand’s consistent growth has made it a key player in both the vegan and broader culinary space.
Advice on Entrepreneurship and Celebrating Wins
Running a growing business comes with long hours and high pressure. Zewiditu stresses the importance of taking moments to appreciate progress. “As entrepreneurs, we don’t do that enough,” she says. “Sometimes I don’t take a moment to truly celebrate it. But we have done a lot of really amazing things.”
Her focus remains on creativity, authenticity, and building a community-centered business. With new projects like 7Streams, an educational initiative led by Derrick to help people grow multiple income streams, Zewiditu sees even greater opportunities ahead. Cloudy Donut’s story continues to inspire customers, entrepreneurs, and advocates for Black-owned businesses nationwide.
