SIDE HUSTLE PIZZA BUSINESS CELEBRATES ITS THIRD BIRTHDAY!

Rachael Willoughby and Elliott Richmond, the founders of the uber local pizza franchise CasaGees, are celebrating the third anniversary of a business they set up to get them through lockdown.

The couple, who have worked together running their own software business for more than 20 years, survived lockdown by making and delivering traditional Neapolitan pizzas within a four-mile radius of their home in Cleeve, near Cheltenham in Gloucestershire.

Elliot has always made his own pizzas, including dough – after being brought up overseas and loving the traditional Neapolitan pizzas (no pineapples ever!). Friends often told him to start a business however he never took it seriously, until he had no choice. 

“When lockdown came and our business more than halved, we realised now was the time to ‘give it a go’. We were able to set up a simple pre-order system online thanks to our software expertise and that’s where it all began!” Elliott said. 

Elliott makes his own dough and with no more than 48 pizzas made per evening, all orders are allocated a time slot, booked via the website. Delivery is kept to a four-mile radius to ensure the pizzas are delivered hot and on time. 

Since then, the business has blossomed with the couple making and delivering pizzas two evenings each week within their local community and making a monthly profit of around £2000. Earlier this year, they also announced they were starting a franchise to encourage others who love cooking to do the same in their own communities. 

To mark CasaGees’ birthday and to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III, 

half of their turnover from deliveries over the Coronation will be donated to one of three shortlisted local community projects:

*May Day in Woodmancote – an annual festival run in the community since 1983, that supports local community causes and charities.  The funds would allow them to book more activities for 2024.

*Stoke Orchard Community Centre – a community hub run by volunteers offering a space for a local toddler group, exercise classes and other events, it’s also become a ‘warm space’ for those in the area. The funds would pay for painting, repairs and towards the cost of CCTV.

*Friends of Grangefield School – the Friends fundraise to fund additional activities for the children. They recently discovered their storage shed was no longer weatherproof and infested with mice. The funds would go towards the cost of a new shed. 

Local people and regular customers are being asked to vote for the project of their choice and the winner will receive a donation of up to £500 later in May. 

Rachael said: “We do believe in giving back and this momentous weekend also allows us to celebrate three years of CasaGees.

“We cannot believe we are celebrating our third birthday! When we originally set up it was as a temporary lockdown venture which we expected to last three months! However the demand from our lovely customers has never stopped which tells us that we have a great product.

“Our next plans involve showing other couples how they can make a second healthy income by copying our proven model.”

To vote for one of the three shortlisted community projects in the Cleeve area to receive this donation, visit www.casagees.co.uk/takeaway-2-giveaway and the deadline for nominations is midnight on Saturday April 29th.