Kitchenware Products Roundtable

What are the key factors a hotel must consider when purchasing kitchenware products?

SIMON PARKE DAVIS: Certainly the main key factor is the future orientation in preplanning, designing and deciding what to install in a modern restaurant or hotel kitchen. Additionally, major changes are to be expected in the hospitality industry regarding costs, efficiency, flexibility, food safety, quality consistency and availability of qualified staff. This added pressure on managers and operators will increase as customer expectations continue to increase too. Overall the total operation costs (staff, space, energy, service, food costs) will highly influence the success of a hotel and the customer’s satisfaction.

EMRE AKSOY: There are a multitude of factors for hoteliers to consider when purchasing kitchenware; first and foremost the selected products need to be food safe, and of course cost efficient. Performance is a key driver too. There’s no time to lose in foodservice operations and all products need to be easy to use, easy to clean, strong and of course safe for the staff as well. Finally, kitchenware products need to be affordable too, especially for the budget and mid-range hoteliers.

LLOYD LAMPRECHT: Tableware is one of the essential categories in the kitchenware sector as guests of hotels and restaurants inevitably come into contact with it. First, the managers should consider that the collection they choose matches the ambiance and atmosphere of the restaurant or hotel. Second, as tableware does not only compliment the food but also enhance the customers overall experience, the managers should not economise on it, but be aware of choosing the collection which contributes best to the optimum experience of the guest. Quality and visual effects hereby play a decisive role, providing that all-important first impression for the guests.

What are the biggest needs of your customers that your products address?

SIMON: Rational has the biggest research and development process in the industry focusing on future developments to meet customers’ needs. The advantages of using our appliances are extremely diverse, starting with the enormous cooking capacity within only one square metre of space compared with standard cooking technology. The savings are significant in terms of energy, valuable working time and food. Compared with conventional appliances, a cooking appliance from Rational requires significantly less energy, water and raw materials by transmitting heat to the product by means of steam, hot air or a combination of the two.

EMRE: Here at Cambro we offer complete solutions or systems that are easy to use for our customers. Our very large offering can fulfil a lot of the operator’s needs, from receiving, storing, preparing, food holding, transporting, and serving to cleaning and sanitising. This is a big need of the customer in today’s market, to have numerous solutions provided efficiently from one supplier.

LLOYD: The biggest needs of our customers that we have witnessed is regarding the special quality of the material of our products, including the extremely durable products for the strains of everyday use. There is a choice of collections for our customers with over 70 practical, multifunctional articles including stackable items that facilitate efficient service, simple cleaning and optimal storage. Villeroy & Boch has also introduced AAA – Article Always Available – a programme that guarantees the constant availability of selected articles in order to meed the needs and demands of the customer.

How do you maintain a balance between price and quality?

SIMON: Rational is a partner and advisor for the entire product life-span, providing care around the clock, and even for years after the initial purchase; this is all included in the same original price. ServicePlus is what Rational calls the services that go beyond the product and every customer will receive these automatically when buying an appliance. It also includes free software updates so that chefs can keep their units up to date with the latest technology.

EMRE: Quality has to come first, there’s no question about that; operators putting price first often end up paying more money at the end of the product life because the products they are buying don’t do the job for them. The key to this is to make a good assessment of the place and an analysis of the needs, then select the right product for the application. Cambro does a lot of those assessments leading to recommending the right solutions to our customers. Quality in foodservice is really critical, this is how you keep your customers and build a reputation too. At Cambro our tag line is “trusted for generations” meaning our products are reliable and strong that they can see generations using the same items.

LLOYD: Convenient and practical features like stackable, robust and replaceable items are criteria that matter a lot to our customers. Price also plays an important role. As a premium brand, known for both quality and design, we cater to different needs and expectations and provide superior solutions which meet the expectations of design and functionality, in different shapes, colours and designs.

How much importance do customers place on after sales service?

SIMON: Our customers value the comprehensive service that we offer. Rational is known for offering customers comprehensive services even after the sale, and remains at its customers’ side long after the purchase, providing support with improving their day-to-day routines in the kitchen; whether this is saving resources or getting even more from the appliances themselves. With every purchase of a Rational cooking appliance, the customer will also receive a free service package that they can use as long as they have a Rational appliance in their kitchen. This package is referred to as Rational ServicePlus and also includes a two year manufacturer’s warranty.

EMRE: Our products do not require much after sales service; the most important after sales service that operators need with Cambro is to have local stock that is easily accessible. This is a demand of the market that we can offer to our customers in all countries in the region.

What developments or new products can we expect on the market in 2016?

SIMON: Rational developed a grilling grid that can create two different grilling patterns. Usable on both sides, the new cross and stripe grill grate produces either the American steakhouse pattern or the classic parallel grill stripes. Thanks to a special alloy, the new cross and stripe grill grate has excellent heat conductivity and requires no preheating. The additional patented TriLax non-stick coating supports browning and is ideal for use up to 300°C. Nothing sticks to the grill, making cleaning quick and effortless. Together with the SelfCookingCenter 5 Senses, the cross and stripe grill grate is also particularly suited for the production of large quantities. Up to 160 steaks with a grill pattern can be prepared uniformly in just 15 minutes at the press of a button. It does not matter whether the products are fresh or deep-frozen when grilled. The cross and stripe grill grate will be available worldwide in January 2016. We keep our eyes and ears close to the market and now employ 300 master chefs worldwide who keep in contact with customers.

EMRE: Cambro is constantly coming up with new products, and our customers come to us for new ideas. In 2016 our focus will continue to be on rust-free shelving with a new line to be launched, and a new line of expanded polypropylene (EPP) for hot and cold food transportation. We also have a new set of seal lids for our food pans, perfect to avoid liquid spillage and cross contamination. There are a few more new products coming this year, but we need to keep a few surprises for later.

To what extent can your products improve hotel operations?

SIMON: The creativity and the added value of people working in a modern kitchen can be dramatically improved by offering them the intelligent and efficient technology. Just compare the immense technological development in other sectors (automotive, communication, engineering) and its impact on their success. People working in the hospitality industry also need powerful and intelligent technology to be prepared for the future demands. With the SelfCookingCenter 5 Senses hotel operators will have more time and opportunity for the personal interaction with all involved stakeholders such as guests, colleagues, partners, investors and many more.

EMRE: The operators themselves can tell you better than we can, but I’d say we hear a lot from operators that Cambro makes lives in the kitchen easier, in usage, cleaning and storing, and we take this as a compliment. Cambro solutions also allow significant cost savings in water, electricity and manpower; it is not only good for the operators’ but also for the environment and the planet. This is how our products can improve hotel operations.

LLOYD: Quality and visual effects play a decisive role for restaurants and hotels, providing that all-important first impression to the guest. This can take the form of fine porcelain with a personalised décor or individual designs that highlight the exclusivity of the restaurant. Villeroy & Boch’s professional tableware stands for the highest standards of functionality and practicality for use in a restaurant. Well-chosen products will therefore improve hotel operations, this cannot be stressed enough.

Meet the experts

Villeroy & Boch International Key Account Manager Lloyd Lamprecht

Lloyd Lamprecht took up the role of International key account manager in the hotel and restaurant division in Luxemburg at Villeroy & Boch in 2007. Prior to this he was the key account manage Middle East from 2007 based in the UAE. Lamprecht’s career includes many senior sales positions around the world where he has developed professional acumen in the hospitality sector.

Cambro Manufacturing Regional Sales Manager, Middle East Emre Aksoy

As the regional sales manager for the Middle East region for Cambro Manufacturing, Emre Aksoy joined the company in 2014 and is based in Istanbul, Turkey. Emre is responsible for Middle East territory and his main duties include obtaining and developing existing distributor profiles in the region. Prior to taking this role Emre has developed a long career in sales management with numerous successful organisations.

Rational International Vice President of Business Development in Middle East Simon Parke-David

As vice president of business development in the Middle East, Simon is tasked with developing profitable growth in line with corporate strategy and philosophy. Simon coaches and mentors existing and future candidates at Rational to be successful both in personal and professional environments. Simon achieved the number one sales team for H1 in 2015. Prior to this role Simon was chief representative at Rational.