Base Pizza plans to double in size over next five years

Shane Crilly’s Base Wood Fired Pizza group is looking to double in size over the next five years.

This follows new accounts showing that the business lst year was making “lots of dough” as the group benefited from Covid-19 shutdowns of dine-in restaurants as consumers turned to take-away food operators.

According to a spokesman for the Dublin-based group, “We are looking to open one or two outlets per year over the next five years. We hope to double the size of the business over that period.”

He said the group planned to open its first outlet outside Dublin this year.

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The spokesman said the business last year recorded “a strong year. Our hope is that we will continue in a growth phase.”

The group is made up of seven outlets across the capital with staff numbers increasing to 110 including contract delivery drivers.

The spokesman said the group’s best selling pizzas were the Diablo and margarita pizzas.

“Consumers value that we prepare everything ourselves and our pizzas have fresh ingredients,” he said.

Figures show that Mr Crilly’s outlets at Ballsbridge, Terenure, Stillorgan, Lucan and Glenageary showed a jump in profits in the year to the end of June last.

The cumulative profit increase from five outlets last year was €887,756.

Figures for Base Pizza Terenure show that profits increased by €337,355 last year while profits at Base Pizza Stillorgan rose by €103,552.

Separate figures show that profits at Base Pizza Lucan increased by €113,498 while profits at Base Pizza Glenageary were up by €157,031.

Accounts for Base Pizza Ballsbridge show that it recorded profits of €176,320 last year.

A native of Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan, Mr Crilly studied law in Dublin and went on to train as a solicitor in London.

However, Mr Crilly changed career after learning the art of making a pizza alongside local Italian cooks in Naples and returned to Dublin to open his first Base Pizza outlet in Terenure in 2008.

The expansion of the group quickened in 2013 after directors of the Loyola Group, Stephen Cooney and Brian O'Malley, invested in the business and joined the Base management team to assist with the expansion.

Mr Crilly maintains a controlling stake in the business. Accumulated profits at the five firms total €1.93 million.