He Sold His Car to Open a Donut Shop. Six Years Later, His Brand Has Nearly 140 Locations
Born in Imzouren, Morocco, Ilyass Aoussar sold his car to fund his first donut shop in Belgium. Six years later, his brand, Dreams Donuts, claims nearly 140 locations across Europe and is preparing to enter Morocco, where it aims to open twenty shops.
In 2020, Ilyass Aoussar returned from a trip to the United States with an idea: to create a chain of shops in Belgium specializing in customizable donuts. The former amateur boxer opened his first shop in Charleroi in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. To raise the money he needed to get started, he sold his car.
“I had to sell my car to help finance my project!” he said in an interview with Franchise Startup Studio in August 2025. The first few months were difficult. Commercial landlords were reluctant to rent to an unknown brand. The entrepreneur then turned to TikTok and Snapchat to promote his colorful donuts, which customers can customize to their liking.
The formula worked. A second shop opened, then a third. In 2021, Dreams Donuts crossed the border into France, opening its first shop in Valenciennes. Two years later, the chain opened ten shops in June 2023 alone, according to its founder.
A franchise network with an €80,000 entry fee
To speed up its growth, Ilyass Aoussar chose franchising. The model allows independent entrepreneurs to operate shops under the Dreams Donuts brand, benefiting from its training and business tools. The stated entry fee is €80,000, which includes support for new franchisees.
According to Belgian media outlet L-Post, the chain had nearly 140 locations in March 2026, spread across several European countries, including Belgium, France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland and Luxembourg. Its headquarters are in Quaregnon, near Mons. The company funds its growth by reinvesting its profits, its founder says.
The entrepreneur, who was born in Imzouren in 1983, is now preparing to bring his brand to his country of origin. Dreams Donuts aims to open twenty shops there before the 2030 World Cup, working with local partners tasked with developing the network.
The project has now reached a new milestone. In a recent LinkedIn post, Dreams Donuts announced that it had welcomed its Moroccan master franchisees to Belgium for theoretical and practical training. Ilyass Aoussar personally took part in the training, which was designed to prepare for the future openings in the kingdom.
