Exports at 70-90% for large luxury kitchens, those sparkling in copper, brass, steel, with an elegant design - manufactured in the cooking districts of Emilia Romagna, Veneto and Tuscany - at the top of the sales in the Premium segments in the United States, China, Europe. 22-25% of the world market of housewares, kitchen utensils and tableware is made up of Italian products. In the 3rd quarter of 2017, the United States bought Italian household appliances with an increase in value of 13,4%.
Our semi-professional pots and pans increased sales on the American markets in the same period by 46% also because, unlike products from competitor countries, they guarantee "healthy" cooking. In 2016, Italian professional equipment for restaurants - the first in the world - recorded an increase in exports of almost 10%. And exports represent three quarters of production. In Asia, the increase was 22%.
MADE IN ITALY OF THE TABLE, A WORLDWIDE SUCCESS
In summary: the many categories of the Italian table and kitchen, i.e. crockery, glasses, coffee cups, cutlery, pots, crystal, domestic and professional equipment for preserving and cooking, all boast export peaks of over 66%. In the luxury sector, the share is close to 70%, even if it is difficult to obtain consistent figures since the companies belong to different industrial associations.
But what is certain is that the numbers are growing thanks also to EXPO2015. And then the fact that the thousands of chefs and food TV shows all over the world do nothing but celebrate our regional cuisines. And for kitchen furniture which recently recorded, as Alberto Scavolini, director in charge of Gruppo Cucine di Assarredo anticipated, a 50% increase in exports to China, it will be Eurocucina that confirms the great favor of the markets, thanks to an image of excellent craftsmanship, advanced technologies and a symbol of our lifestyle.
IT WILL BE AN EXCEPTIONAL EUROCUCINA
It will be a EuroCucina of great global appeal that will take place in Milan from 17 to 22 April together with the Salone del Mobile, with the spectacular area dedicated to cooking and preservation FTK, Technology for The Kitchen. And it will once again be a record for foreign visitors and journalists. “This is proved by the fact that EuroCucina FTK – comments Alberto Scavolini, director in charge of Gruppo Cucine di Assarredo – has today become not only the trade fair par excellence on a global level for our sector but above all the essential reference for everyone”. The economic data also correspond to this authority; because our objects and our appliances are considered even in the most distant countries the maximum symbol of quality, of an inimitable content of "beauty" and of an admired lifestyle. And a high rate of eco-sustainability.
BEAUTY AND DESIGN? THEY ARE NO LONGER ENOUGH
Not only design and (quality) luxury, it is necessary to supply products with a high technological and eco-sustainable content. Because, it should be emphasized, selling a kitchen is very complex, it is a system that must work well even in the smallest details, with impeccable services: “That's how it is and we can see it from the data on domestic and foreign sales. For some years the sector has recorded positive trends -Scavolini confirms- in 2015 the production turnover increased by 2014% on 3,5 and in 2016 it recorded a further growth of 3,8%. Sales abroad are even more positive with +9,8% in 2015 on 2014 and +4,8% in 2016 on 2015. We do not have the definitive data for 2017 but in the first few months the growth of exports recorded a +1,2%. And with an extraordinary 50% increase in China”.
A trend so favorable to made in Italy on one side and to quality gastronomy on the other, in search of hi-tech but eco-sustainable cooking and food processing techniques, has been repeated throughout Europe; with a general demand for sophisticated equipment that treats food well, according to the new dictates of chefs: less waste, less consumption, high quality ingredients, professional cooking and preservation.
THE ITALIAN LUXURY? LOTS OF TECHNOLOGY
The leading exporter of kitchen furniture in the world is Germany and it is with Germany that we have always been in competition. How does the made in Italy stand in front of the German competitor? “Equally and even further on, we also saw it recently at the Salone del Mobile in Shanghai - declares Scavolini - and we see it on international markets. We have built several records starting from the fact that our companies are today the most proactive, the most innovative. And our strength is, moreover, the ability to provide customized, made-to-measure solutions every time and to do them very well.
The eco-sustainability of the entire supply chain starts above all from the fact that the entire structure of the furniture is made up of reclaimed and recycled wood panels and in this we are the first in Europe. According to data from the FederlegnoArredo Study Center and Assopannelli, 87% of chipboard panels are destined for the furniture sector. For years we have made extensive use of aluminium, a fully recyclable material. We have made the most of natural materials such as traditional stones, we even recover the oak sleepers abandoned by the railways and we know how to treat them in order to make them become furniture, shelves, counters of great beauty”.
EUROCUCINA TRENDS
What will you see at Eurocucina FTK? “We will only see the news when the doors of the fair open. But I can confirm that in our high-end furniture collections there is an ever increasing presence of the most advanced household appliances, digital and connected multifunction ovens with steam and induction hobs, even if the fear persists among customers that the electrical absorption could exceed the power meter".
Thanks to technological mechanisms of great precision, carefully made invisible (this is also an Italian record), the compositions of the furniture can vary according to needs and functions, remote-controlled automatisms are increasingly applied, soft overflow openings, up to the possibility of having for elegant lofts and large living rooms, the kitchen-wardrobes with patented opening and closing mechanisms, very easy to move. “And with solutions for the great dream of the Italians, the hi-tech island - emphasizes Scavolini - such as not to have exaggerated costs, once the design constraints of the wiring have been resolved. A technology that brands in the sector have adopted with enthusiasm.
ITALIANS LIKE HI-TECH COOKING
The extraordinary growth of exports of Made in Italy food, equipment and cooking technologies is based on a now global "reputation" of Italian manufacturing, lifestyle and nutrition. It is enough to leave the narrow national border to realize it. But the sales of high-end household appliances and equipment for the kitchen and table also show double-digit increases on the Italian market with success in particular for multifunction ovens with steam, semi-professional, some with sous vide cooking, for hobs induction, for powerful and gifted robots and food processors. Obviously also thanks to the success of TV broadcasts on cooking competitions.
In the first quarter of 2017, the growth in sales in value of the Premium segment of the most expensive and performing ovens recorded a +52%, after the same period of 2016 on 2015 had achieved a sensational +73,7%. As far as induction hobs are concerned, in many cases in the flexible version (the heat distribution adapts to the position and size of the pan) the growth was 20,2% after +23,1% in the same period of 2016 compared to 2015. For large, expensive and super-equipped food preparation robots, the increase in value was significant, starting from 2014 with +39,4%, then with 11,8% the following year and therefore with a +2,2% in 2017 (data referring to the April-May period).
THINK NEXT BY FRANKE
To ratify this socio-cultural and economic centrality of food combined in all ways, in October the giant Franke, a world-class manufacturer of appliances for domestic and professional cooking, brought together 400 journalists and partners at its headquarters in Aarburg in Switzerland from all over the world, designers like Philippe Starck and Matteo Thun, chefs like Bruno Barbieri and a host of cooking and cultural celebrities, for Think Next by Franke, an exclusive mix of conferences on the crossroads between culture, technologies (Artificial Intelligence enter the kitchen”) and design. It is no coincidence that Alexander Zschokke, CEO of Franke, a cultured manager from the world of European and Italian luxury in particular, strongly wanted such a demanding event.
THE RICH CHINESE IS YOUNG AND OBSESSED WITH QUALITY
Linda Ebose, an Italian operator in China, with an import company of Italian products in Changsha, the capital of Hunan, confirms this trend. “The rich Chinese are constantly increasing, they are on average younger than the wealthy of Western countries and consequently more open to quality innovations and consider Italian furniture a prestigious goal; they choose on the basis of an increasingly decisive factor, the origin.
The Italian origin, the territory of origin and the brand must be clear and identifiable on the products. And they are very demanding because before making purchases they inform themselves very carefully on the Internet and it is difficult to be able to deceive them. They are well aware that their country is responsible for 70% of the world's total counterfeit products and are therefore particularly vigilant. This is why, more than any other Western luxury consumer, the Chinese one is almost obsessed with authentic quality and this is why Italy and its products are increasingly popular”.
Toncelli, Invisibile, kitchen with interactive display on the worktop, equipped with Internet connections, to create scenarios and manage appliances and movements.
Brummel, Opera 30, spectacular box with ups and downs, with silent movements, built around the hood with flat TV, containers for crystals and various compartments.
Fhiaba, specialist in professional refrigeration, has a series of professionally inspired fridge-freezers and preservers also for cured meats and cheeses for the kitchens of gastronomy enthusiasts. It is possible to have storage sets tailored to the family, its storage habits and seasonal changes. With outstanding performance.
Source: Paula's house
