approach... The ProCook

As ProCook’s star continues to rise – they have almost doubled in size since pre-pandemic times –founder Daniel O’Neill talks growth, the benefits of direct-to-consumer and focusing on longevity

Daniel, how has trading changed for ProCook pre and post pandemic?

We were perfectly positioned prior to the pandemic to take advantage when the opportunity arose, and we’ve grown substantially - almost doubling in size since that time.

Proportionally it’s similar in terms of retail and web mix, which are similarly weighted.

The kitchenware market was heralded as one of the sectors which benefitted most from the pandemic, was that ProCook’s experience?

There is a bit of an exaggeration of how much the kitchenware market actually grew – the real growth was seen where people moved

Did you know?

to buying kitchenware online –that was huge and we certainly experienced that.

You sell ProCook products direct to consumer both online and in your own stores but are you ever tempted to sell via other retail outlets too?

No – being direct-to-consumer is the key element of our proposition that makes ProCook such a strong business so we won’t be deviating from that.

Online or brick and mortar, which is a more successful way of selling product for ProCook?

We’re omnichannel so we can’t separate them really – we know that kitchenware customers are moving to online shopping and that will continue but there is always going to be a segment of shoppers who want to purchase in store and be inspired in retail spaces.

How does your buying team keep on top of what is trending in kitchenware?

As a brand we’re really focussed on longevity and quality over fads and fashion and our ethos is centred around ‘buy once, buy better’ – an ‘anti-trend’ if you will.

When you buy a ProCook product you can expect to own it for many years. To inform and improve our product lines and understand what is important to our customer, our buying teams use a combination

ProCook was started over 20 years ago and was the first company to sell cookware sets by direct mail in the UK.

New SILVER FORCE Cookware – Strong, Safe, Made in Italy. AMBIENTE 03 - 07.02.2023 of regular visits to global trade shows, talking to suppliers about new technologies and materials, keeping an eye on trends forecasting companies’ predictions and importantly keeping in close contact with our frontline colleagues for customer feedback.

Antibacterial silver ions coating, designed for induction stove, strong reinforced edge, extremely high resistance to scratches, shocks and dents. Perfect for everyday cooking.

Further to that what are ProCook top selling kitchenware products and does that change regularly?

Our core business is cookware, kitchen knives and tableware and we see little deviation from that. We’re really good at making those products and are known for it.

Style or substance, which is more important to ProCook?

As a brand that is all about

On how the Offensive Weapons Act has changed knife retailing…

“It’s certainly changed how we display our knives in store – they are all behind flexi glass, but we offer a fantastic ‘try before you buy’ service so customers can feel the product in the hand. It’s definitely made it more awkward for customers to shop but we haven’t seen it impact sales.” quality, substance comes first, but we design and source beautiful products that inspire and delight our customers.

Many homeware suppliers are reporting difficulties with logistics/ supply & demand – is that something

ProCook has experienced and how is the company dealing with the issue?

As with all our competitors we’ve seen increases in shipping costs and we’ve had to align prices to

“Being direct-toconsumer is the key element of our proposition that makes ProCook such a strong business so we won’t be deviating from that” reflect this. However, we have maintained a significant difference in value compared to competing equivalent quality products.

Finally, what does the next five years look like for ProCook?

In the short term, we’re looking to build brand awareness at home with a focus on growing our UK market share. Longer term we will be looking towards Europe, where we see huge opportunity.