In Focus Lifetime Brands Europe
“Over the past two years we have invested heavily in R&D not just in terms of standards and quality but also trends”
The time
is now
Launching this autumn, Mikasa Hospitality is a major new introduction by Lifetime Brands Europe. Claire Budgen, marketing and commercial director, tells HoReCa why now is the right time to bring the bumper assortment of tableware to market… This is a really exciting time for Lifetime Brands Europe with the release of Mikasa Hospitality’s new collection – more than 10 tableware ranges, plus glassware and cutlery – it’s quite the launch. Tell us how this came to fruition? Mikasa has been synonymous with great design and seen as a world leader in tabletop fashion for dinnerware, crystal stemware and decorative accessories for over half a century. Building on this reputation we wanted
to steer the brand towards the hospitality sector. This decision was driven firstly, by the successful launch of Mikasa Hospitality in the US in 2019, the brand has gone from strength to strength. Secondly, working closely with leading distributors we were frequently asked for a range to fulfil the needs of the HoReCa market. Mikasa Hospitality Europe was subsequently formed and is set to be launched in autumn 2022. Over the past two years we have invested heavily in R&D not just
Staying on trend
in terms of standards and quality but also trends. Each design has been developed with the end user in mind. Why is now the right time to launch the range? Hospitality businesses have shown themselves to be creative and resourceful with many recovering stronger than initially anticipated. Europe has the most dynamic and diverse hospitality sector in the world. Europe’s restaurants and hotels are recognised
Delivering on trends is key to the Mikasa Hospitality collection as it serves venues across the board – think in-vogue pure whites, colourways influenced by nature and more. “It was so important for us to consider trends, how to offer something different in addition to working with colours, textures and glazes that would be the perfect background for food with shapes that would frame it well.” 20 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL: HoReCa
internationally as being some of the very best. Looking at the forecasted exponential growth in the HoReCA sector, we are confident this is the time to introduce our hospitality range to the market. In the UK alone there are nearly 90,000 food serving venues, but it is not just opportunity that has influenced our decision, this is coupled with our reputation for both excellent products and customer service. The confidence we have built over decades with our supply chain has put us in good stead. Better still, the launch of Mikasa Hospitality coincides with the opening of our new logistics centre Euro Hub in the Netherlands. This is set to transform our service model, heralding a new chapter for Lifetime Brands in mainland Europe. Tell us more about the R&D which went into creating the new range? We have a dedicated Mikasa Hospitality team to ensure
