The kbbreview Interview // Graham Johnston
or two to find the right location, the perfect site became available so we snapped it up. In Edinburgh, the existing Dundas Street showroom remains our flagship, but Morningside allows us to reach another part of the city where we already do a lot of business. At first glance it probably looks like we're doing a lot very quickly, but every decision has been made with sustainable growth in mind. Commercially they all make complete sense, and we've challenged every one of those decisions through our advisory board before committing to them.
You've spent most of your career outside the KBB industry. What do you think that experience brings? I've always seen myself as a retailer first. I started on the shop floor selling mobile phones when I was 17 and, since then, I've worked across mobile retail, telecommunications, recruitment, optical, supermarkets and FMCG. People often assume the customers are completely different from one sector to another, but they're not. They're the same people, just on a different mission depending on where they are. One of the biggest lessons I've learned is that innovation in one industry can usually be adapted to another. That was particularly true during my time leading omnichannel strategy at Three. Back then, most businesses had separate teams looking after retail, online and customer services, but customers don't think like that. Customers don't actually care about channels, they just want to deal with a business and the ones that succeed are those that allow customers to move seamlessly between digital and physical interactions without ever feeling they're starting again. So that's something we're applying at KI. A great website matters, digital communication matters, but so does having beautiful showrooms where customers can meet designers, touch materials and experience the product properly.
What's the thinking behind the creation of an advisory board? Because the worst thing any business leader can feel is comfort and I don't want people around me who simply tell me everything is a good idea. I want people who'll challenge me and this is a group of experienced people who are there to question our strategy and bring perspectives I simply don't have. If something isn't working, let's stop doing it and find a better way, that's how good businesses improve.
What does success look like over the next five years? The next five years are about investing in our people. KI is a cherished Scottish brand that's been around for more than 30 years, and I see myself as a steward of that brand for the next chapter. We've announced our immediate growth plans with new locations across Scotland, but those investments are really about creating opportunities for our people. We're focused on developing apprentices, creating career paths and making sure we've got the very best designers and installers in the industry. Alongside that, we'll continue investing in digital technology to improve the customer experience, while making sure our physical showrooms remain places where customers can genuinely engage with our designers and our products. There are a few exciting projects that I can't talk about just yet, but the direction is very clear. We're only six months into this next chapter but the foundations are in place, we've got a clear strategy and we're building for the long term. For me, success isn't just opening more showrooms. It's about making sure Kitchens International continues to be recognised as one of Scotland's leading luxury kitchen businesses for the next 30 years.
kbbr
Listen to the full interview with Graham Johnston in a special episode of The kbbreview Podcast. Go to
kbbreview.com/podcast or search 'kbbreview' wherever you get your podcasts.
August 2026
kbbreview
25
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