Pizza Punks plans for growth and strengthens leadership team

Pizza Punks has announced the appointment of FRP Corporate Finance to assist with raising capital, as brand founder Brad Stevens moves towards the next phase of the concept's growth journey. 

Founded in 2015, the group currently operates in eight UK locations. Last year, the company spent six months consolidating four new openings in Leicester, Nottingham, Durham and Liverpool. 

Recognising the brand's growth potential, the group now plans to expand into Edinburgh, Manchester, Cardiff and Birmingham in 2024, plus four other major university cities to follow. 

Stevens, who is CEO of Hell Yeah Hospitality Group – operator of brands including Pizza Punks – comments: "We are extremely excited about where Pizza Punks is at, both as a brand as a business, and the opportunities it has for significant further growth.

"We've seen very strong sales across the entire Pizza Punks portfolio, which has driven record sales for us recently. This has come off the back of exceeding our budget expectations, as well as getting our labour and cost of sales into a healthy position during our last financial year. 

"We have reviewed our options for expansion and have identified the next cities we are keen to bring the Pizza Punks experience to, working closely with FRP to identify funding options for our next stage of growth into Edinburgh, Manchester, Cardiff and Birmingham. We are feeling really positive about what the future holds for Pizza Punks."

New recruits

Stevens has also strengthened his senior team to support the business's next stage of growth. James Richardson joins Hell Yeah as director of operations and people – a newly created position. Richardson previously held the position of head of operations for The Apartment Group, managing the operations for a collection of boutique hotels, wedding venues, immersive bars and restaurants. Following the pandemic, he worked as a hospitality consultant, assisting small- to medium-sized businesses to grow and improve in all areas.

David Moffat comes on board as the new commercial director. He is a seasoned hospitality professional, having started early in his career with Stonegate Pub Company and Gondola Leisure Group, before moving to senior operations roles with Hero Brands. A trained chef, Moffat has unique insight into all aspects of hospitality management, with his key areas of expertise being strategic planning, analysis and innovative thinking. 

Louise McCabe has also stepped up as sales, marketing and brand director. With over two decades of experience in the industry, she has played a key role in the strategic leadership of Hell Yeah Hospitality since its inception. Following a successful stint serving as group operations director, McCabe steps into her new position to help drive the concept forward with new products and campaigns. 

You may also be interested in…