Entrepreneurs Seek Grant for Gluten-Free Pizza Restaurant
Two local entrepreneurs presented their business proposal for HotBox Pies, a gluten-free pizza restaurant, during a recent city presentation in Bloomington.
Seth Wal and Moses Wol outlined their plan to establish a certified gluten-free retail location that would serve pizzas, sandwiches and other baked goods. The business concept emerged after Wal was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2017 while working at a local pizzeria, creating what he described as a "painfully ironic" situation of being surrounded by food he could not eat.
The entrepreneurs spent two years developing their gluten-free pizza dough recipe with the goal of creating a product that "tastes like the real deal," according to their presentation. Their business model would include both dine-in service and retail distribution of frozen doughs and take-and-bake pizzas to other outlets.
Wal and Wol emphasized their commitment to improving the reputation of gluten-free food, stating they want to "raise the standards of what gluten-free can be." The business began as informal pizza parties in a backyard before developing into a formal business proposal.
According to the presentation, a vote on their grant application is scheduled for the week of August 6th. The entrepreneurs have established a social media presence on Instagram under the handle "hotbox pies" to promote their venture.
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with the goal that our dough tastes like the real deal.
This grant would allow us to secure a retail location that would be certified gluten-free.
to raise the standards of what gluten-free can be.
Source document
[0:00] Hi, my name is Seth Wal
[0:01] and I'm Moses Wol and we are Hotbox
[0:03] Pies, a gluten-free pizza joint
[0:05] specializing in gluten-free pizzas,
[0:07] sandwiches, and other baked goods.
[0:09] In 2017, I was diagnosed with celiac
[0:12] disease, which is an allergy to gluten.
[0:14] At the same time, I took a local job at
[0:16] a pizzeria. Unfortunately, that meant no
[0:19] pizza for me. It was painfully ironic. I
[0:22] was surrounded by food I love, but I
[0:24] couldn't enjoy, and I wanted to do
[0:26] something about it. I didn't want to let
[0:28] my celiac limitations set me back for me
[0:31] or anyone else with gluten intolerance.
[0:34] That's when I suggested that we make our
[0:35] own gluten-free dough. So, for the past
[0:37] 2 years, we spent our time perfecting a
[0:39] recipe with the goal that our dough
[0:42] tastes like the real deal. And now we're
[0:44] ready to share hot box pies with the
[0:45] masses.
[0:46] This grant would allow us to secure a
[0:49] retail location that would be certified
[0:52] gluten-free. We would provide takeout
[0:55] frozen doughs for retail outlets as well
[0:58] as take and bake pizzas.
[1:01] We off we know the reputation that
[1:03] gluten-free food often gets and we want
[1:04] to raise the standards of what
[1:06] gluten-free can be.
[1:08] We're passionate, hardworking, and ready
[1:10] to bring this trustworthy, delicious
[1:12] food to the visitors and residents of
[1:14] Bloomington.
[1:15] Well, once started off as friendly pizza
[1:17] parties in the backyard can be something
[1:18] so much more. We hope to get your vote
[1:20] on the week of August 6th and a follow
[1:22] on our Instagram at hotbox pies to help
[1:25] this vision come to life. Thank you.
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