ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE | Kutchenhaus
PAUL LEE & LUKE WEDGBURY, KUTCHENHAUS
Supply chain confidence
How a passion for the industry, combined with the support of Europe’s number-one kitchen manufacturer, means collective strength for Kutchenhaus retailers. Head of marketing Paul Lee (top right) and franchise partner Luke Wedgbury (top left), share their thoughts on the supply chain
Q & A
Q: How have you navigated the challenges to the supply chain over the past couple of years? Paul Lee: Recent times have proven challenging for kitchen brands, with companies looking for solutions that suit them and keep customers happy. That said, we’re fortunate that our parent company is Nobilia, so there have been minimal supply issues. We’re supported by Europe’s number-one kitchen manufacturer, which is a big point of difference for us. The lead time is around six weeks from showrooms ordering kitchen furniture through to delivery to our customers, and this is reassuring to our franchise partners. To tackle the challenges, we have set up local delivery hubs around the country, most commonly with established logistics experts such as Nobilia GB, Orange and KBB Logistics. This, along with always looking for new partners, has helped us. We’ve also been in continuous communication and received great support from all of our appliance partners. This has helped minimise supply impact to both our showrooms and customers.
Q: What makes a reliable supplier? What does Kutchenhaus offer that other brands perhaps don’t? Luke Wedgbury: As a franchise partner, reliability really all comes down to history and track record. Not many have Nobilia’s history, and this gives you great confidence. Having dealt with them for some years, experience tells me they deliver quality on time. And there’s no middleman – we’re going direct to the manufacturer and lead times on furniture are better than many others offer. You get the best of both worlds from Kutchenhaus. I’m able to run my business as I want to, using my experience and knowledge, with the strength and confidence of Kutchenhaus’s backing.
Q: All suppliers will face some supply challenges, but the key is to demonstrate what initiatives and solutions you have put in place to manage any risks... PL: Nobilia has delivered to our local hubs through some difficult circumstances recently – through lockdowns and through Brexit. Our hubs are very flexible and if we have an issue with logistics partner A, we use logistics partner B to fulfil the delivery to our customer. For our franchise partners, Kutchenhaus helps with all aspects of setting up and running their business too. We have a team of experts on hand who know the industry and support showrooms on how to navigate challenges.
Q: How important is your strong relationship with Kutchenhaus to delivering what you say you can, and when, to your customers? LW: We’re designing and purchasing Nobilia kitchens through Kutchenhaus, so there couldn’t really be a closer relationship. We’re confident that when we say we need something delivered in week X, it will be done, because we’re part of the Kutchenhaus team, rather than operating as an independent. We have a direct route to the manufacturer through Kutchenhaus.
One of the main reasons I chose to become a Kutchenhaus franchise partner is the growth in brand awareness. To be part of a bigger network gives the consumer much more confidence when purchasing a new kitchen. It most certainly feels like you’re selling a brand and it feels to me like our end users buy into that brand.
Q: Is your supply chain resilient to disruptions or changes in demand? LW: The supply chain is resilient because of the quantity of raw materials Nobilia purchases and has available. If there’s a spike in demand, they can still accommodate this because of the stock available to fall back on. The scale of their factory operation means supply is rarely a problem, with Nobilia rolling out 4,000 kitchens a day.
Become a
franchise partner
We’re always looking for passionate people to become franchise partners and help
grow our network further
across the UK. We search for people with ambition, who want to make their own business successful.
This could be existing designers, independent owners who will benefit from the Kutchenhaus model, or even investors with an entrepreneurial spirit. If this is the opportunity you’ve been
searching for then please contact us. Visit the Franchise page on our website or scan the QR code opposite.
36
• April 2023
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84
