DŌ, Cookie Dough Confections has been acquired by Neil Hershman, the CEO and owner of 16 Handles.
Neil will take on the role of CEO and owner of DŌ. He is joined by DŌ’s founder and co-owner Kristen Tomlan, who will continue to play an integral part in this new stage of growth as the chief brand officer.
Kristen founded the company in 2014 and it was a viral success. She grew the brand to include multiple retail outlets and pop-ups, an e-commerce business, hands-on and virtual baking classes, and safe-to-eat flour and mixes.
“I started DŌ in a quest to create a worry-free indulgence that I could selfishly eat, bake, and share with others. The mission for this brand was always about spreading joy, which has been and always will be my favorite part of the baking process,” Kristen says.
“It’s been a dream come true to collaborate with 16 Handles’ New York City locations over the past five years, so expanding the partnership and growing our brands together is exciting for us both. I’m looking forward to this next chapter and being able to continue to spread happiness through these two iconic New York desserts.”
Over the past four years, Neil has built a dessert empire throughout New York City under various popular brands. He owns and operates 12 dessert shops, including the 16 Handles Flagship located in Times Square.
He says: “DŌ is one of New York City’s favorite and most unique desserts, and it’s been so popular selling alongside our artisanal frozen yogurt at 16 Handles in the past. I’m so excited to take Kristen and my partnership to the next level as we integrate DŌ’s addictive edible cookie dough into the self-serve topping bar and to-go freezer at all of our 16 Handles locations, especially as we continue to expand nationally.”
DŌ will ship its products nationwide through its website. The stand-alone retail location in Greenwich Village has closed to make room for an increase in eCommerce capacity, and an exclusive lineup of DŌ products will soon be available at all 16 Handles locations nationwide.
