CDA MANAGING DIRECTOR CHRIS WARD THE ERT INTERVIEW


November 2025 ertonline.co.uk


“Confidence helps retailers sell. Better-trained retailers serve consumers better. It is good for everyone.”


The company sources products from China, 18


Turkey, and Poland, with each category allocated to the region best suited to its strengths. Quality assurance is strict, with checks at the factory level and again in the UK. This focus on quality supports CDA’s warranties and reinforces trust with partners. Sustainability is also becoming more central, and Mr Ward is proud of the company’s recent recognition. “We are proud to see this commitment recognised,” he says, “and to see CDA become the first kitchen appliance brand to receive ethical accreditation from The Good Shopping Guide earlier this year.”


Looking ahead To avoid confusion and maintain margin


protection, CDA operates three brands: • Matrix: the entry-level offer, aimed at housebuilders, contract customers and National Kitchen Retail


• CDA: the core brand, representing roughly two-thirds of all sales


• Amica: mostly targeting the freestanding replacement market


“Keeping these brands clearly defined is


key,” he says. “It stops overlap, it avoids cannibalisation, and it protects partner margin.”


Customer insight, innovation, and speed One of Mr Ward’s early priorities was deepening CDA’s understanding of consumer behaviour through the eyes of its B2B partners. The company recently completed a national survey to gather insight into customer expectations and pain points. “We wanted to hear the truth,” he says. “What do people value? What frustrates them? Where can we step up?”


The findings helped shape new initiatives, including the introduction of a lifetime parts warranty across CDA appliances. It is a bold move in a market dominated by short warranties. “It was our way of saying we trust our


products,” Mr Ward explains. “No one else is doing that at this level. It matters to retailers, and it reassures consumers.”


CDA has also streamlined its product development process, becoming significantly faster than many of its competitors. “We brought the Matrix range from idea to launch in six months,” he comments. “That is around eighteen months faster than the big players. We cannot match their scale, but we can definitely outpace them.”


This speed is possible because CDA’s commercial and product teams are compact, highly experienced, and not slowed by layers of internal approval. Mr Ward highlights that this agility allows the company to respond quickly to feedback from retailers and end consumers alike.


Supporting retail partners Throughout the interview, Mr Ward continually returns to the importance of retailers. “They are the backbone of our business,” he says. “We have to look after them.”


This philosophy shapes the company’s


approach to pricing, availability, and training. “If a customer finds a product cheaper online than in a showroom, we have not done our job,” he says. “We have to protect our partners’ margin. That is non-negotiable.” CDA offers frequent virtual training sessions, cooking demonstrations, digital product materials, and named account managers for every customer. “We have done more than two thousand training sessions,” Mr Ward adds.


As our conversation concludes, Mr Ward reflects on the decisions that have shaped the new chapter of CDA’s story. “Previously, sales targets were unrealistic, and too much stock was bought to chase them,” he says. “Now we are in control. We are right-sized. We are building in a way that is sustainable.” Looking ahead, he remains optimistic but


refreshingly measured. “We are not trying to be the biggest,” he says. “We are trying to be the best partner. Our engineers are directly employed, which gives us an 89 per cent first- time fix rate compared with the industry average of 85 per cent. That matters to consumers.” New ranges are already in development, including the Inspire collection, designed specifically for the online retail channel and intended to bring CDA quality to a more accessible price point. Mr Ward pauses, then smiles as he sums up what he believes sets CDA apart. “We remain a humble British business,” he says. “It is not a slogan. It is a reminder of where we came from and what we stand for. Our job is to support our partners, provide products people can trust, and build on the legacy created over more than thirty years.”


As he speaks, it becomes clear that CDA’s


renewed confidence does not come from ambition alone. It comes from discipline, partnership, and a clear sense of who they are. In an industry that often rewards scale, CDA offers a reminder that resilience, service, and focus can be just as powerful.


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