Australia’s first wood-fired, drive-through pizza is preparing to open for business. The restaurant is called Rapid Red Gum and will soon be opening in the Werribee suburb of Melbourne, Australia.
Rapid Red Gum grew out of a mobile concept that Mark and Paula Beeby brainstormed in 2007. Moving from New Zealand for a fresh start with their two daughters, Ashley and Kaitlyn, the couple was looking for an opportunity to create more time for their family. So they took the plunge and created their first mobile pizza business Pizza Party Hire.
Nine years and five units later, the family is ready to take their pizza to the next level with a business model Australia has never seen: wood-fired pizza served in a drive-through.
Mark Beeby envisioned this business when he realized there was a gap in the market place. His clients at catering events would ask regularly if the family had a store where they could enjoy his pizzas on the go. That was the beginning of Rapid Red Gum.
“Our pizzas take three minutes to cook,” Mark said. “That’s nearly as fast as the time it takes to make a coffee.”
At first, Rapid Red Gum was an abstract idea he discussed with his family. But Mark was serious about increasing his reach of their wood-fired pizzas. He then a pilot unit for a business trial and collected data on areas of highest car traffic in Melbourne.
“We were able to acquire a vacant lot in a well-developed town region that is within a kilometer of local housing,” said Ashley Beeby. “This provides us with high visibility for drivers to and from work during the day and during after-work periods when they visit local businesses.”
With prior experience in their existing business, the Beeby family is excited about taking on this new drive-through challenge and providing the local community with quality wood-fired pizza on the go.
