Scottish pizza oven startup Ooni experienced meteoric growth during the pandemic, with annual sales reaching £208 million as more people cooked outdoors. However, the founders' prediction proved wrong as sales plummeted 42% to £120 million by 2024 amid rising competition and costs, forcing job cuts and a struggle to regain momentum.

Facing crisis, co-founders Darina Garland and Kristian Tapaninaho brought in professional management, appointing US-based Karthik Iyer as CEO. The company cut 125 jobs total, reducing its global workforce to 210 employees while maintaining its wholly owned structure with a sturdy balance sheet.

Ooni has begun recovery with sales growing by "single-digit" millions last year and returning to profitability, though still far below the £45 million operating profit peak in 2021. The company now competes against established brands while expanding into kitchen equipment with a £700 professional dough mixer despite facing US tariffs.