With a new year comes change, and one of the exciting changes that came to Donald was the new ownership for popular eatery Spud’s Cafe.

Kieran White and Julie Robinson are stepping into business owner shoes, with all the excitement and anticipation that follows.

When asked about how and when this plan came about, Kieran was happy to say he had always wanted a bakery, as baking is something he is quite passionate about. And almost a year ago while looking at businesses to purchase, Spud’s became an opportunity he couldn’t pass up. While not a bakery like his younger self imagined, instead it’s a local favourite, and he’s ready to help it reach new heights.

When speaking about his plans for the business, he remarked that the menu was fantastic and that there wouldn’t be short term changes, but instead, long term goals to add on to the existing options. Perhaps adding some baked goods like he used to dream about making!

Julie on the other hand was much more focused on the here and now, the almost daunting task of taking on a business that already has such a loyal base of customers. Mentioning that the business side of things were very new to her, though she had worked in cafe’s before, it is certainly a leap to tackle owning one.

When asked about how the transition was going, they both nodded in agreement that the change of ownership was only able to be as smooth as it has been because of the incredibly experienced staff assisting them along the way.

Something that had them both very excited was the prospect of giving back to the community. Through sponsoring sport teams, local events, or continuing with the Lions, they plan to remain active in the community.

A beautiful sentiment they both shared is this joint project is something they are “all in” on. They aim to make Spud’s the best it can be, and then some. So if you haven’t already, go on down and meet the new owners!

This article appeared in The Buloke Times, 5 February 2026.