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“People always say that,” Ben Slater says with a slight shake of the head. “I just don’t understand it.” 

Kesseler owners Scott and Ben Slater have just been asked whether it’s difficult working together as brothers. The idea that many might say working with their sibling would result in one murdering the other is clearly an alien concept.

Born just 20 months apart (Scott is the older), they clearly have a bond that goes way beyond tolerant business partners with complementary skills, they are a unit and, in conversation, they each nod in agreement at the others’ responses. 

“The trust we have as brothers is absolute,” Ben says. 

And that trust has been a strong foundation for a growing business. Founded in 2009 as a kitchen furniture manufacturer Kesseler branched out into franchising in 2020 following a belief in the power of a brand to not just attract the right customers and grow the business, but also as the embodiment of a mission.

The shared belief in the brand is also absolute.

During Covid they also launched Online Bedrooms, an entirely web-based consumer-facing business designed to leverage the capacity of their Nottinghamshire factory and it has also proved a shrewd move with a 46% growth just this year. The Slaters say it has done over 10,000 rooms already in its relatively short existence.

So as the popularity of franchising continues apace, what’s the plan for what is now one of the largest premium kitchen retail networks in the UK? And just how far can that unbreakable bond take the Slater brothers?

“We like to think in moonshots,” Ben says. Scott nods in agreement…

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For people who know the Kesseler name but maybe not the details, where are you at today as a business?

Scott Slater: We’re at a stage now where the team is about 50 people and we’ve got 17 franchise showrooms and growing as our franchise retail sales are up by around 32% year-on-year.

Ben Slater: During lockdown we also launched Online Bedrooms, which has been growing very quickly and from strength-to-strength.

And the heart of it all is the factory here in Nottinghamshire.

Ben: Exactly. It’s a very lean set-up – no big warehouses, no huge stockpiles. Materials come in, products go straight out. That just-in-time way of working makes us flexible and efficient, and it means resources aren’t tied up in things sitting on shelves.

Let’s go back to the beginning. Neither of you had kitchen industry backgrounds, so how did this all start?

Scott: There was no masterplan. We came out of uni and always knew we’d go into business – our family has always been entrepreneurial. The lightbulb moment came at home when we had a kitchen done and it was just a really disappointing experience. We thought, “Surely this can be done better, where’s the opportunity to do something truly unique?”

Ben: I think we were always going to start a business and it was always going to be the two of us together.  

Scott: People ask how we don’t kill each other, but it couldn’t have been any other way. We’re very aligned and the trust we have as brothers is absolute. 

Ben: Plus, we naturally fell into our own lanes. Scott was always more sales, marketing and branding, and I was more operations and manufacturing. That division of responsibilities meant we could lead in our own areas but still advise each other.

What was the original vision back in 2009?

Scott: It started with wanting to build a better cabinet. That was literally it. But for me, from the start, there was always the idea of creating a proper British brand – something recognised and respected, not just a manufacturer in the background.

Ben: Those first years were about supplying to independents, trying to find our way. Some of those retailers are still with us now. But what we realised was that if you want the brand to mean something consistent for the end consumer, you need more control. Independents naturally have their own agendas and suppliers, and that can dilute the brand. Franchising was the answer because it keeps everyone aligned.

Why franchising instead of owning showrooms outright?

Scott: We looked at our best customers and realised they all had one thing in common – they only sold our product and fully embraced the brand. Some even put our name above their doors. We thought, “If every customer was like that, it would be so much easier.” Franchising was a way to formalise that.

Ben: And Covid was the pivot point. Everything was shifting anyway, and that gave us the opportunity to make a big move. If we’d just carried on, maybe we wouldn’t have taken the leap. But at that moment it was clear – if there’s ever a time to pivot, it’s now.

How do you make franchisees feel part of one family, rather than a collection of independents?

Scott: For us it’s about focus. Our focus is making the best product, building the brand and generating demand. Their focus is designing, selling and installing. When you put that together, it works because everyone knows their lane and can concentrate on it.

Ben: And it’s not about tying their hands. With things like appliances or worktops we don’t dictate suppliers. Our interest is the furniture – that’s what where we want consistency. As long as the rest works for the customer, we’re happy for franchisees to make their own choices. The support is there, but the flexibility is too.

The Kesseler style has a strong look. But how did you manage to develop it without being designers yourselves?

Scott: We’ve been lucky to work with some very talented designers in the network, and a lot of the look has come from them. Their feedback drives our product development. We treat new ideas like a sales pipeline – concept, development, launch. That way we’ve always got new things coming through.

How are you finding the market right now?

Scott: It’s definitely tough. Consumers are taking longer to decide on making big purchases, but they are still spending. Planning approvals are up, which shows people still want to invest in their homes.

Ben: The key thing is that both brands are significantly up this year. That’s not happening by accident – we’re working hard to buck the trend. Having a strong brand makes a huge difference because when times are hard, people look for names they recognise and trust. That gives us an edge.

And what about the next few years?

Ben: We don’t spend much time worrying about whether the overall market grows or shrinks. We concentrate on our own metrics, the feedback from franchisees, and continually improving how we bring in customers. There’s always enough business – it’s about taking your share.

Scott: With nearly 20 showrooms, we’re already one of the bigger networks in the UK market if you don’t count the obvious big groups. Our ambition is to continue expanding rapidly – we can see ourselves heading towards 50 showrooms over the next few years.

Ben: It’s ambitious, but we like to think in moonshots. If you’re going to do something, do it with intensity.

Does scaling that fast risk losing control?

Ben: It’s always a challenge. The infrastructure has to grow at the same speed as the network. We know there’ll be bumps along the way, but that’s where the team comes in. We’ve built a strong group of people who are experienced and know their stuff, and we trust them to carry the vision forward.

Scott: And we’ve got clear values we use to make decisions – we create amazing spaces, we love our customers, we act decisively. That keeps everyone on track. If something doesn’t feel like a “Kesseler thing,” then we don’t do it.

Having come into this industry as outsiders, how do you view independent kitchen retail now?

Scott: The biggest mistake we see is  when companies try to be everything to everyone. You’ve got to know exactly who your customer is and serve them better than anyone else. That focus is what wins.

Ben: The best independents do that already and they thrive on referrals. But a lot rely too heavily on repeat business. One of the big benefits we bring is marketing at scale – we’ve got a team working every day to find the right customers and bring them into the system. That’s a lot harder for a single independent to replicate.

So it all comes back to brand?

Ben: Yes, brand is the thread that runs through everything. It defines your customer, it gives you the ability to scale, and it’s what makes you stand out. Without it you’re just another business on the high street.

Scott: And it’s about instinct too. Franchising felt right, then the data proved it. You can’t just rely on gut feeling, but it’s often what points you in the right direction in the first place.

Do you think more of the industry will move towards branded networks like yours?

Scott: Possibly. I think consumers are definitely leaning towards names they recognise.

Ben: Independents will always be important, but a strong, consistent brand gives you a huge advantage. That’s the path we’re on, and we think it’s where a big part of the future lies.