The Economist
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How donuts have benefitted America's immigrants
Posted
July 25, 2019
Views
295,286
Likes
2,549
Comments
336
Engagement
0.98%
July 25, 2019
295,286
2,549
336
0.98%
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4:37Now PlayingDonuts are the all-American confectionery. They have also helped a group of immigrants from Cambodia pursue the American dream.
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America has the biggest immigration population in the world. The country has long attracted people in search of a better life. Among them are Cambodian migrants who fled war and genocide at home and have found an unlikely route to prosperity – donuts.
It’s 4.40am and most people in the city are still fast asleep. But when Los Angeles wakes up, Teresa Ngo needs to be ready. She’s the co-owner of Blinkie’s Donut Emporium. Teresa and her dad Hugh bought Blinkie’s in 2003.
Making donuts is a long way from where Hugh started out his life. But in a cruel twist of fate Teresa’s family were subjected to a violent attack. Arriving in the USA was another huge change for the Ngo family.
Between 1975 and 1994 nearly 160,000 Cambodians were admitted to America as refugees. One of them was Ted Ngoy who became known as the “Donut King”. The entrepreneur made his fortune through a chain of stores. By the mid 90s, inspired by Mr Ngoy’s success there were as many as 2,400 Cambodian-owned donut shops in southern California.
Los Angeles has a reputation for healthy eating but that hasn’t slowed the steady stream of patrons at Blinkie’s. Blinkie’s is now one of the top-rated donut shops in Los Angeles.
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