Kitchenware International

Kitchen Kapers, UK www.kitchenkapers.co.uk Gary Gordon, founder and owner of Kitchen Kapers, a kitchenware chain of four independent specialist kitchenware stores in the UK, in Surrey, Berkshire and Hampshire.

Which categories of kitchenware are doing well for Kitchen Kapers right now and any products that are selling particularly well?

In terms of categories, bakeware is continuing to do well. While the cup cake craze has died down, we are still finding baking very, very strong and we’ve increased our number of ranges over the years. Cookware performs less well, however, as it has become far more seasonal – a winter product these days with consumers using cookware less in summer. And, with many brands supplying stainless steel ware that lasts 30 years, the market just isn’t there like it once was.

There’s been a big resurgence in juicers of late and we’re also seeing consumers demand more multi-functional space-saving devices, which is why we find Cristel cookware – which offers cookware that nests inside each other and has removeable handles for better storage – is so successful with our customers.

Finally, coffee on-the-go mugs are very popular – we offer Boda mugs and sell loads of them.

Which tradeshows do you visit and why?

We do Ambiente every year – in fact, we’ve been attending the Frankfurt fair in excess of 30 years; we missed a few years here or there but attend most years.

There is just so much to see. This year, as most years, we’ve done or will be doing Maison & Objet, Paris, Top Drawer, Spring Fair, Ambiente, Autumn Fair and Exclusively Housewares – both to meet some of our suppliers and to find new ones. We also like to stay on top of what everyone is doing How do you draw customers into the store?

We generally offer products and brands many kitchenware stores don’t and this has always been a big part of our success; a third of our sales are exclusives, mainly from non-UK sources, which means we don’t stock the same as everyone else. We offer high-end professional and less mainstream brands like Cristel (cookware), Sabatier (knives), Marlux (pepper mills) and BK (cookware). Stocking such brands has allowed Kitchen Kapers to stand out – we’ve carved out a niche for ourselves. Our reputation for personal service – going that extra mile – is also one of the reasons Kitchen Kapers has built such a loyal customer base; they often come in for guidance. We also deliver a range of exclusive high-level services, such as knife sharpening and hiring out of cake tins, extras that force “customers to come into the shop twice”, explains Gary, as well as a special order service that aims to source any item the customer might want or need.

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