THE SMART CHOICE

With its three divisions, the Franke Group, a leading global supplier of products and services for domestic kitchens, foodservice systems and the convenience store sector, is staying ahead of trends.

With over 60 companies, the Franke Group is at home on five continents. Headquartered in Aarburg, Switzerland, Franke Group employs approximately 10,500 staff across Europe, South and North America, Africa, Australia and Asia.

Franke Home Solutions was born in 2021 as a new division of the Franke Group, aiming to expand the presence of the company in the kitchens sector. The new name Franke Home Solutions is intended to be synonymous with food preparation (sinks and taps) and cooking (hoods, hobs and ovens), while it is also intended to reflect the desire to exploit the division’s expertise to increase its presence in the kitchens sector.

Drawing on the Group’s solid tradition. the Swiss kitchen and foodservice equipment manufacturer is standing strong in the volatile market environment, with a sound financial performance and new, innovative products that have been designed to reflect the latest trends supporting sustainability and energy savings.

Positive performance

The company reported that overall it has weathered the ongoing supply chain bottlenecks and rising inflation well. The Group was not only able to supply customers as planned, but also to pass on price increases, thus partly compensating for higher raw material, component and transport costs.

The Franke Foodservice Systems and Franke Coffee Systems divisions were cited as positive contributors, while revenues for Franke Home Solutions fell. This was a contrast to 2021, when the latter had the largest sales growth within the company, at 41.1%.

The results highlight a shift in consumer demand for at-home coffee equipment following a sharp rise in the market during the pandemic when out-of-home coffee shops were repeatedly shuttered. The Group warned that a ‘fragile’ geopolitical and economic situation is expected to continue to further disrupt supply chain operations and lead to higher prices.

Awarded solutions

Despite the challenges, Franke continues to be committed to innovations. For over 110 years, Franke designers have prided them- selves on their craftsmanship when developing high-quality Swissmade products. Timeless yet contemporary design has remained at the forefront of innovation at Franke, a promise that has been recognised globally with over 120 awards.

Several of Franke Home Solutions’ products collected (again) the Best Red Dot awards in 2022, including the innovative Active Twist Tap, specially designed to link the tap and sink with a dial that, when turned, operates the waste outlet, enabling the water to drain away easily, safely and hygienically. It received this prestigious award for its unique functionality and equally striking aesthetics, which feature a matte black finish.

Red Dot Winners 2022 also included All-In, the flexible, modular food preparation system designed to bring more flow to the kitchen - Maris Fragranite bowls made from Fragranite, which lasts a lifetime, and treated with Sanitized, which contains silver ions that prevent germs, mould and bad odours.

Franke’s Smart Suspended Hood was also awarded – the hood hangs from three wires, lending it clean lines and an elegant shape, and it comes in three chic finishes. It uses a plug-in carbon filter that is easy to change, making it simple to use and maintain. It also has a Class A energy efficiency rating and an impressively low noise level.

Most recently, the company has collected yet another ward – its Mythos Masterpiece Collection has won the 2023 Kitchen Innovation Award, recognising innovation and attention to detail in all its products.

Transformed for a better living

To stay in line with market trends and to reflect the forward-looking company mentality, in September 2022 Franke Group started to roll out a new brand identity across all platforms, complete with the promise: ‘Franke transforms change into opportunities for better living’.

While reminiscent of the brand’s previous look, the updated Franke logo is in a bold ‘Vibrant Red’ tone, an evolution of the current brand colour, which the company says is for greater precision and adaptability.

“The new branding is more than just an updated look for the Franke Group – we relish change and see it as an opportunity to innovate and to keep improving. That’s why we have refined our brand positioning and why we are open to change,” said Patrik Wohlhauser, CEO of the Franke Group.

In concluding, he affirms that the company is boldly push the boundaries and drive forward innovations, so that Franke is always one step ahead. “Day in, day out, we strive to present the best pos sible ideas and solutions to respond to our customers’ ever-chang ing needs. Our new design is a clear expression of this ambition.”