Profile Sambonet

Reeno own ned ed fo orr fusin ng fu uncti nction nc tion ti on wit ith hi ith high h dessig gn, n Ita taliliian an an bran br and d Sa am mb bon onet et del et eliv iver iv e s taabllew er waree an nd co ookwa okkwaaree th hatt is sttyylllis ish is h aan nd hi h gh gh peerrfo form rmin min ing en nou ough ugh gh to g gaaiin n ent ntry ry in into nto o th hee wo orrld rlld d’ss top op hot o el e s, s, res estaur taur ta u an nts and nd reettai a leerss. We We aassk Sa Saamb m onet mb on net et’s’s’s hea e d of of in ntter erna rnati nati na tion onal nal al ret etail etai ail,l, Caatter ai erin na Beern rnab a in ab no, o, whaat th his 159 59-yyea 59 e r-ol odb brran nd me m an a s todaay

T

he Sambonet brand was founded by Giuseppe Sambonet in Vercelli, Italy, in 1856, becoming the official purveyor to many noble Italian families, including the Count of Turin. Lauded with being the first company in Italy to build an industrial production plant capable of manufacturing both sterling silver and galvanic silverware in 1932, Sambonet went on to develop an innovative process for the production of stainless steel flatware. The brand conquered the international market by being chosen to supply the Cairo Hilton Hotel with a hollowware line, which marked the beginning of Sambonet’s great tradition of supplying world-class hotels and restaurants, from Four Seasons and Mandarin Oriental, to Hyatt and Hilton. Starting from the ‘60s, great designers collaborated with Sambonet, popularising the brand’s focus on design, and Roberto Sambonet himself created collections, which are now design classics, on show at the MoMA in New York. In 1997, Sambonet – along with Arthur Krupp – joined The Paderno Group, an international leader in the production

78 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL

of professional cookware and kitchen utensils. The Paderno Group added to its brand portfolio with Rosenthal, Thomas and Huschenreuther in 2009 and with Arzberg in 2013. There are now seven brands in the portfolio. We talk to head of international retail, Caterina Bernabino about Sambonet... For many retailers, Sambonet is renowned for its quality flatware. But is that all Sambonet is about today? Today, Sambonet is a brand focused on its strengths – Italian excellence, design research and innovation – offering a cosmopolitan audience not just single products, but complete concepts. To do this, we have, in the last few years, re-thought our strategy and redefined each segment in terms of target and product positioning. With our rich and diversified range, we are able to cover the needs of different domains: table, kitchen, and gift ideas for kids and for the luxury segment. How much of Sambonet’s products are focused on retail? The entire Paderno Group, which includes seven brands, is focused 50 per cent on retail and 50 per cent on

HoReCa. The leading brand in the group in the HoReCa market is Sambonet – focused almost 70 per cent on this segment and 30 per cent on retail. Another big brand in the group, Rosenthal, is the leading brand on the retail front. How important is the relationship between Sambonet and Rosenthal? It is complementary; while they are two distinct brands, they share important values – tradition and quality, the use of fine materials, art and design, superior craftsmanship and innovation. Rosenthal, with its focus on retail and Sambonet, with its focus on HoReCa, means that each brand is able to learn from the strong points of the other. How international is Sambonet? Sambonet’s international distribution is organised as follows: 10 per cent cookware, 20 per cent kitchen accessories, 15 per cent gifts, 30 per cent hollowware and 25 per cent cutlery. Every country represents a different market and we have different strategies for each. In terms of tabletop, the market is extremely influenced by lifestyles and traditions, which are

different from one country to the next – therefore, we have the best performances in areas that have cultural affinities with ours, such as other European countries. How important is the fusion of functionality with high design? Functionality and design have always been key points in Sambonet’s philosophy. From the start, the brand has followed two distinct approaches to design; internal creations and partnerships with well-known designers – both resulting in great successes and various prizes. Gio Ponti was the first designer to collaborate with Sambonet in 1932, garnering the brand many design awards. Other collaborations followed, including with Anna Castelli Ferrieri, Giulio Iacchetti and Rodolfo Dordoni. Creativity is at the heart of the brand, with Roberto Sambonet, who has been art director for many years, designing various award-winning items, like Pescera,