comment MAURIZO RISPOLIHead of International Sales of Horwood Homewares based in Bristol On the Board


drafting ofmarket entry strategies for targeted territories. All of this whilst trying to avoid the many wonderful cakes baked by our warehouse manager Pam!


What’s’s on your agenda?


Maintaining the upward trajectory in those markets that we are currently in with Stellar and


Smi Jud


dge globally. It’s all go, go, go here and we ge, entering newmarkets, and launching


are playing catch up to ensure that we grab each and every opportunity that has been afforded us aft


fter a strong start to 2019.


What’s’s your background? Aft


fter completing a degree in international business,my early career was in retail banking; various customer-facing roles ensued. I landed my first export sales role in 2001, selling keyboards with integrated card readers to retail banks across Europe and Australasia. Next it was soft


ft toys and gifts, with a territory base


arriving in the housewares industry in 2006, that coveredmost of EMEA, before finally


Over the past 13 years I’ve been lucky enough where I have been almost ever since.


nearly everymarket imaginable. Be it working to work with retailers and distributors across


with the likes of Lakeland, JLP or Sainsbury’s, on JBPs [Joint Business Plans] domestically


Thomas (Ireland), setting up as a vendor in Bed launching exclusive campaigns in Brown


travelling to andmanaging distribution in Asia, Bath & Beyond (US) or searching, appointing,


Founded in 1896, Horwood Homewares is a y.


I’ve been lucky enough to have done it. Tell us a bit about your company.


Stellar and Judge and is currently distributed to independent trade through its anchor brands leading supplier of cookware to the UK’s


over 40markets worldwide.We are still based


years ago, and we continue to live true to our in Bristol, where we were founded all those


products that please and delight - butmoreover, core values; namely, we strive to deliver


our customers are at the centre of all we do.


exciting brand I’ve seen in over a decade in the This year we launched possibly themost


industry: Smidge!


regular catch up with the sales team; then a bit In a word, varied. This week started with a What’s’s your working week like?


of price analysis to see howMr Trump’s latest tariffs will affect our US business; Skype calls with partners across The Nordics; and a sit-


packaging concepts, PR planning and the down with themarketing teamto look at


26 | housewares evil .net


What’s’s themost rewarding aspect of your job? Establishing new revenue streams for the business and bringing the whole teamalong for the


that


very first PO, to seeing the product in-store ride, frominitial presentations to receiving


and online.


“This year we launched possibly themost exciting brand I’ve seen in over a decade in the industry”


What’s’s themost challenging aspect of your job?


Prioritising.With somany exciting opportunities to go after across somanymarkets, there are literally not enough hours in the day.


During your time in the housewares industry, what products have impressed youmost and why?


y,


I love functional innovation, so products such as Nest 8 fromJoseph Joseph or Stand Up fromStasher really resonate withme. However, right now, it’s all about the Natural Collection fromour very own Smidge.We are first to market with the only 100% biodegradable product rangemade from100% natural materials.


r,


During your time in the housewares industry, which retailers have impressed youmost and The two


y,


fromvery different spectrums I’d go firstly re are somany. But if I had to name only why?


stor and abo


formy localMillers Homestores [in Frome, Somerset]. They typify everything that’s great ut the independent scene: service, service service. Nomatter who you speak to in- e, they genuinely care. Secondly,


• HousewaresLive.net re • twitter. r.com/H


the varied nature ofmy role,my choice would be Casa Palacio inMexico City. If you’d like a 101 inmerchandising, you could do a lot worse than going there… wow!


What’s’s the biggest challenge and opportunity


My answer for both is the same: change. The facing housewares retailers?


change. It is that change which both challenge retail landscape has and will continue to


but also affords opportunity to retailers within


number of retail partners both domestically an our industry.We have unfortunately lost a


What’s’s the biggest challenge facing grow year-on-year.


housewares suppliers?


Our consumers aremore savvy and demanding than they have ever been. Price alone will not do it. Design for design’s sake is not the answer - and arguably never has been. Consumers demand competitively priced, well designed and functional products. How do we deliver something that is priced right, functional and aesthetically pleasing? That is our challenge.


What’s’s the biggest opportunity facing housewares suppliers?


British companies are seemingly looking further afield for revenuemore than ever,


r, with export


markets being an obvious opportunity that we are all getting better at grasping.


What’s’s the biggest change you’ve seen since you joined the Eco products a


remoremainstreamthan they housewares industry?


have ever been - and for good reason. It’s a subject that I’mpassionate about, and delighted to actively participate in for the first time, as a vendor with Smidge.


What advice would you give to someone starting out in the housewares industry? Remember to respect those that have come before you as they represent the past and the present - but don’t forget that you are the future , so keep pushing it forward!


Finally, y, what do you do to relax?


I’mthe proud owner of an Entlebucher Mountain Dog and a bit of a foodie. Having recentlymoved to the beautifulMendip Hills in Somerset,my downtimemainly consists of long dog walks many gastrono


mic establishments that we and frequenting one of the


y, to reflect have on our doorstep . /Houseware resnews June/July 2019


d s


abroad due to that change. But we have also seen a number of successes with the likes of ManoMano and B&Mthriving and continuing to


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