Group Knowledge and Networking

As New Zealand’s largest group of independent joiners, Mastercraft Kitchens licensees speak of three major benefits they enjoy from being a part of the nationally recognised brand. At a recent group meeting, a few members of the group sat down to discuss what they get from the group and how it has added value to their individual businesses.

Tony Hawes, along with his wife Sue, is owner operator of Your Kitchen (Mastercraft Kitchens Wellington) . He describes the group as “a cooperative of 30 odd companies up and down the country. We design, manufacture, and install kitchens and other joinery of very high quality. We all have factories and showrooms.”

Brand

Mastercraft licensees align their established business name with the Mastercraft brand giving them the benefit of retaining their local essence whilst leveraging a wellknown name. They contribute to a growth fund, which allows them to benefit from significant national marketing and business development initiatives, far greater than what they could achieve on their own. Being a licensee helps to open doors to some business such as large building groups that would potentially be unattainable operating under an independent name alone.

“Having a national name appealed to us,” says Poppy Silcock, who owns and operates Millbrook Kitchens (Mastercraft Kitchens North Canterbury) with her husband Andrew. “With [regard to] the dual branding, previously without it, we were strong [mostly] in the private sector. Definitely a benefit for us is now starting to get the group builders on board.”

“They see this as a great opportunity to align themselves with a national manufacturer,” agreed Peter Healey, owner of Kitchens by Healey (Mastercraft Kitchens Palmerston North)

Supply

Mastercraft works with a loyal selection of supply partners that enjoy doing business with the group. Licensees are offered preferential buy rates, freight advantages and exclusive product lines. The licensees are positive about this benefit; “We do get good rates and have companies chasing us,” said Peter.

Poppy agreed, “The buying power, if you’ve got 30 of us going in wanting the best price…”

Carol Harker of Mastercraft Kitchens Whitianga believes they enjoy additional service. “I always feel that our [supply partner] reps go that extra mile for us.”

Knowledge

By far the most significant benefit of the group is networking and knowledge. Having peers in similar businesses that are not competitors provides the platform for fruitful business discussions and support that a business owner could not achieve on their own.

Tony Hawes: “A lot of the systems we have in place and some of the things we now do are only because we learned from another Mastercraft licensee. You go from being your own little business, with your own staff, to being part of a group. It isn’t just lip service; we actually want each other to do well. The buying power is all very nice, the professional way things are marketed, but definitely the number one thing we’ve got out of it is it’s sort of a family feeling.”

Peter Healey: “I think one of the unexpected benefits of [joining Mastercraft] has been the sharing of information. It’s given our company the professionalism that perhaps it wouldn’t have had without the Mastercraft attachment.”

When discussing Mastercraft’s group meetings for the owners, Carol Harker stated, “Invariably, there’s an idea that comes up that just makes things so much easier. When we bought our business, we were a staff of three and now we’re a staff of 11. There’s no way in the world we could have done it without being part of that Mastercraft group.”

Poppy Silcock echoes that thought. “It’s like mirroring your business, yet you’re not a competitor. You just feel like a weight’s lifted off you because you’re not in it alone. You just can’t put a price on that!” www.mastercraft.co.nz