• Make a contribution
  • Get the Print Edition
  • Sign up for our daily newsletter
Friday, May 23, 2025
  • Login
Reading Today Online
  • HOME
  • YOUR AREA
    • All
    • Caversham
    • Central Reading
    • East Reading
    • Katesgrove
    • Reading
    • Southcote & Coley
    • Tilehurst & Norcot
    • Whitley

    Ex-police officer and comedian Alfie Moore bringing new show to Town Hall

    Tickets for RABBLE’s William The Conqueror on sale on Saturday

    Cllr Alice Mpofu-Coles elected as Mayor of Reading

    Workers ‘optimistic but overwhelmed’ about AI, new research shows

    European Movement in Berkshire welcomes news of a UK/EU ‘relationship reset’

    Council announces fresh wave of cost of living support

    Knife crime in Thames Valley down nearly 10% last year, ONS figures show

    Nearly 100 singers raised their voices for women’s health

    TK Maxx moves to The Oracle, gives customers the chance to win a gift card

  • COMMUNITY
  • READING FC
  • SPORT
    • All
    • Basketball
    • Football
    • Rugby

    Former Reading FC manager Ruben Selles linked with League One job

    Four in a row for BAPCO

    Reading fans – you can finally dare to dream again

    Rob Couhig reveals new Reading FC CEO following takeover

    It’s a podium streak for Wokingham racing star Bobby with a win at Silverstone

    Rams RFC celebrate at end of season ball

    Lewis hits brilliant century to see Berkshire CCC beat Buckinghamshire

    ‘Without you, there would be no club’: Defender sends farewell message to Reading FC fans

    Style and splendour returns to Newbury

  • ENTERTAINMENT
    • ARTS
    • READING FESTIVAL
    • READING PRIDE
    • WOKINGHAM FESTIVAL
  • PRIDE OF READING
  • OBITUARIES
  • JOBS
  • ADVERTISE
  • CONTACT US
No Result
View All Result
Reading Today Online
No Result
View All Result
Home Business

Reading brothers make successful pitch on Dragons Den

Jake Clothier by Jake Clothier
Wednesday, January 22, 2025 7:28 am
in Business, Featured, Reading
A A
Luke and Owen Buckmaster from Reading are set to expand their pizza business, Doughboys Pizza, after making a successful pitch on Dragons Den.

Luke and Owen Buckmaster from Reading are set to expand their pizza business, Doughboys Pizza, after making a successful pitch on Dragons Den.

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

TWO BROTHERS from Reading are set to expand their business after making a successful pitch on Dragons Den.

Luke and Owen Buckmaster, founders of Doughboys Pizza put their proposal to the Dragons on the episode airing on Thursday, January 16.

The pair pitched their artisanal pizza business to Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden, Steven Bartlett, Touker Suleyman, and Sara Davies.

Having launched their artisanal frozen pizza brand at the height of the pandemic in 2020, the brothers grew Doughboys Pizza to supply over a thousand UK venues.

These include top football clubs and well-known hospitality chains and they recently secured listings with Ocado in the UK and Spinneys in the UAE.

Their pitch involved expanding the business to creating an at-home product which they called a DIY pizza kit, which sees ingredients delivered to customers’ doors, as well as a frozen pizza range.

Related posts

Ex-police officer and comedian Alfie Moore bringing new show to Town Hall

Tickets for RABBLE’s William The Conqueror on sale on Saturday

Cllr Alice Mpofu-Coles elected as Mayor of Reading

Workers ‘optimistic but overwhelmed’ about AI, new research shows

Their pitch received three offers and ultimately secured a £90,000 investment from Maidenhead’s Peter Jones for a 10% stake.

It comes after they launched the business in 2020, inspired by their desire fix a “lack of high-quality handmade Italian pizza.”

They partnered with a family pizza producer in Italy and, despite setbacks during the Covid pandemic, has grown to generate accumulative sales of nearly £4m.

They now supply to to Arsenal Football Stadium as well as a frozen range in Ocado, having garnered six awards and reached the finals of the Great British Entrepreneur Awards in 2021.

Luke Buckmaster said: “You watch the show at home and wonder how you’d handle the pressure, but nothing compares to standing there in front of the Dragons for real.

“We felt an immediate surge of adrenaline but also pride in what we’ve built–hearing their excitement about Doughboys Pizza validated all the sleepless nights and sacrifices we’ve made.

“Walking away with an offer from Peter Jones felt absolutely surreal – we’re proof that with hard work beats any type of qualifications and with a genuine passion, you can bring any dream to life.”

Peter Jones said during the episode: “There is no way I can let this go to Deborah Meaden–no chance.”

Keep up to date by signing up for our daily newsletter

We don’t spam we only send our newsletter to people who have requested it.

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Previous Post

Royal Berks ‘extremely disappointed’ following health secretary’s hospitals announcement

Next Post

Reading man sentenced for drug supply

FOLLOW US

POPULAR STORIES

  • Young man and woman attacked by group of teenagers in Reading robbery

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Former Reading FC star to be released as free agent by Championship club

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Former Reading FC star to become free agent following Championship relegation

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Thousands experience power outage in Reading, not expected to be fixed for hours

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Reading FC group Sell Before We Dai makes generous donation following end of campaign

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

RDG.Today – which is a Social Enterprise – provides Reading Borough with free, independent news coverage.

If you are able, please support our work

Click Here to Support RDG.Today

ABOUT US

Reading Today is dedicated to providing news online across the whole of the Borough of Reading. It is a Social Enterprise, existing to support the various communities in Reading Borough.

CONTACT US

news@wokinghampaper.co.uk

Reading Today Logo

Keep up to date with our daily newsletter

We don’t spam we only send our newsletter to people that have subscribed

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

The Wokingham Paper Ltd publications are regulated by IPSO – the Independent Press Standards Organisation.
If you have a complaint about a  The Wokingham Paper Ltd  publication in print or online, you should, in the first instance, contact the publication concerned, email: editor@wokingham.today, or telephone: 0118 327 2662. If it is not resolved to your satisfaction, you should contact IPSO by telephone: 0300 123 2220, or visit its website: www.ipso.co.uk. Members of the public are welcome to contact IPSO at any time if they are not sure how to proceed, or need advice on how to frame a complaint.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • MY AREA
    • Central Reading
    • East Reading
    • Bracknell
    • Calcot
    • Caversham
    • Crowthorne
    • Earley
  • COMMUNITY
  • SPORT
    • Reading FC
    • Football
    • Rugby
    • Basketball
  • ENTERTAINMENT
    • ARTS
    • READING FESTIVAL
    • READING PRIDE
    • WOKINGHAM FESTIVAL
  • PRIDE OF READING
  • OBITUARIES
  • JOBS
  • ADVERTISE
  • CONTACT US
  • SUPPORT US
  • SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER
  • WHERE TO GET THE PRINT EDITION

© 2021 - The Wokingham Paper Ltd - All Right Reserved.