The latest Diesel kitchen had pride of place on Italian kitchen manufacturer Scavolini’s stand at the kbb show, where it was also actively looking for more retailers.
Scavolini currently has 20 showrooms in the UK. Two of those are exclusive Scavolini stores, in London’s West Hampstead and Preston, the remainder are traditional showrooms that also sell other kitchen brands.
Speaking to kbbreview on the Scavolini stand, UK country manager Emilio da Re said (pictured on left): “We are looking at expanding within the UK, either more Scavolini stores or more traditional kitchen studios, but I see Scavolini stores as a very good option for us. But it is not just about the products – you need to find the right people.”
Da Re told kbbreview that there are still areas in the UK where Scavolini has little coverage and they are keen to find retailers in those areas.
He said: “We are looking at areas where we are lacking coverage – the Midlands, Birmingham, the North-East, where we are completely clear, and Scotland, which is a market that really interests us and we are looking for partners there too.
“We have had some good conversations with some Scottish retailers at the show and we are definitely looking to expand and get an even coverage of the UK territory. We want to establish relationships with the people and give them their own areas where they can do business. We want to give them some exclusivity.”
Da Re also told kbbreview that they had had an “amazing” level of interest from retailers at the show.
In terms of just how many new retailers Scavolini would like in the UK, Da Re said: “I don’t have a particular number in mind. I don’t want 200 shops. Maybe 40 will cover it well enough. But it needs to work for them too.”
Also on the stand was Scavolini export manager Danilo Rossi (pictured on right), who added: “What makes the difference is not how many you have, but the quality of the retailers. In Italy we have almost 900 stores. It is also important to have good service. We are not selling a brand, we are selling something that is more complicated.”
Describing some of the benefits for their exclusive stores, Da Re explained: “We do offer incentives for our exclusive stores. They get exposed to certain kinds of marketing and, as businesses that has invested in our products, we make it a bit sweeter and there are better discounts, better deals and terms.”
New products on the stand included the new Scavolini Diesel range – the first time it has ever been shown. There was also the new Formalia range, which features 100% recycled plastic material in one of the finishes, plus the Misfits range that will cover bedrooms and living rooms as well as kitchens.