Iconic PNE doughnut vendor not returning after fair rejects application
An iconic food vendor at the Pacific National Exhibition in Vancouver won't be returning this summer after its application was rejected.
Those Little Donuts, which serves up cinnamon-sugar-dusted treats, said in a statement on social media it won't be at the fair this year.
"The PNE Food Committee regrets to inform you that your applications have not been accepted to participate at the PNE Fair as we already have similar products," the company said, quoting the rejection letter it received from the PNE.
Fans of the doughnut cart shared their disappointment on social media, with some saying the products "don't compare" to others. Others called the doughnuts a PNE "staple."
"We're very, very disappointed that we're not there. It's been such a hard two years with COVID and everything like that," Nathan Maier, owner of Those Little Donuts, told CTV News Vancouver.
Three other doughnut vendors will still be available at this year's fair.
"We made the decision based on a variety of reasons to not bring back that booth and instead bring in the booth that is owned by the granddaughter of the founder of mini doughnuts in Canada," PNE spokesperson Laura Ballance explained.
Every year, the fair offers an eclectic spread of food. Last year, with "fair fundamentals" as the theme, options varied widely from a new vendor offering exclusively plant-based options to another that offered a chicken sandwich with two doughnuts for buns.
Even during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the fair was forced to pivot its setup, operators hosted a "Taste of the PNE" drive-thru experience so fans could still get their favourites.
This year's fair opens on Saturday.
With files from CTV News Vancouver's Angela Jung
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.