Slice of success for Kirkhill couple as travelling pizza pop up, Blazin Pizza, serves communities throughout the Highlands
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A KIRKHILL couple who set up a new venture in lockdown say business is on the rise.
Blazin' Pizza owners Alistair and Julie Adams, who work out of an adapted horsebox, allows them to take the best dough to rural and city communities.
The former handyman and property maintenance business owner believes the secret to the couple's success is all in the quality of the product, and "just going for it - when you have a dream."
Mr Adams (50) said it was a business that went wrong that led them to a slice of success.
He said: "I was self employed, and work completely dried up during the first lockdown, and that gave me time to develop an idea that Julie and I had before the pandemic about setting up Blazin' Pizza.
"A friend of ours who owns a holiday park mentioned a business in the south that served up pizzas from a mobile unit, and I thought 'we could do that, and better'."
After securing a horsebox to adapt, Mr Adams went on a training course on how to make pizza with one of the top chefs in the country.
"It was working with the chef, that I don't want to name but he is the best in the country, that showed us that the pizzas Julie and I made ourselves at home were good, but not the brilliant product we put out now", Mr Adams continued.
Then the lockdown hit.
"The horse box needed to be completely re-fabricated, and to cut a long story short, we basically rebuilt every single part of the horsebox, every screw, every weld - it is all new.
"I like to try to do things, and although sometimes I have had to make difficult business decisions in the past - this was what we wanted to do. I would say to anyone who was thinking of starting up on their own to just go for it. Nobody owes you anything, get out there and try things.
Mr Adams said the couple are focused on delivering top quality Neapolitan-style pizza, and have been visiting different communities around once a month, using a pre order system so people don't have to wait to pick up their favourite pie.
Visiting places such as Kirkhill, where the couple live, Dingwall, Kiltarlity, Muir of Ord, Tain and Dornoch, they have even made it to music festival Capers in Cannich, sporting events and the Woodstock market. The couple also hope to be able to offer their services at events.
Mr Adams added: "Over the last 12 months we have seen more street vendors popping up. Maybe that is the way people want to eat local food now, after the pandemic. And we are very happy to bring the food to communities."
The favourite pizza on the couple's menu is pepperoni, and BBQ chicken, and they do a dessert apple pie speciality.
Asked what his favourite pizza is, Mr Adams said: "You'd go a long way to beat our Margherita."
For more, visit www.facebook.com/Blazin-Pizza
