“I couldn’t be more proud of what has been achieved here”
said Iain Flitcroft, Master Franchisee for Kvik in Asia.
We met in the new Kvik store in Pattaya, located in front of Baan and Beyond, next to Big C, between Pattaya Tai and Thepprasit Roads on Sukhumvit.
The showroom, at more than 250 sqm, is a Kvik flagship showroom displaying all of the Kvik kitchen ranges together with a selection of their bathroom and bedroom furniture including the newly launched, fully fitted, sliding wardrobes.
Kvik epitomises the best of Danish Design. With a huge factory in Herning, in the north of Denmark and 160-plus stores throughout Scandinavia and western Europe, Kvik has been producing high quality kitchens for more than 32 years.
Currently the factory produces approximately 1,000 kitchens per week.
Kvik is part of the huge Stena Group, a Swedish conglomerate and the third largest private business in Scandinavia after Maersk and Ikea.
As Iain said: “The fact that we are part of such a huge, long-standing and successful group, brings long-term security for us and for our customers.”
Kvik has been operating in Asia for the past eight years.
The head office and flagship store is in Thonglor, Bangkok, with further stores in Hua Hin, Surat Thani, Rama IX Bangkok and Hong Kong.
A fantastic new store in Ratchapruek, Bangkok, will open in May and a store in Manila, Philippines, in June. There are plans for Koh Samui during the second part of the year.
In Thailand Kvik is positioned as an accessible 100% import brand, bringing great quality, design and service at a price that is significantly lower than other equivalent imported kitchens and, therefore, affordable to a wider audience.
As Kvik says: ‘Everyone has the right to a real Danish kitchen’.
Iain explained: “We talk about our value package and that is a combination of quality, design and service. Our product is 100% imported and made from the best quality European materials and hardware built in a heavily invested, state-of-the-art factory. Because of our scale we have a large and highly skilled creative team in Herning, ensuring that our ranges and designs display the unique combination of functionality and practicality, combined with clean lines, simplicity and an understated elegance.
“This design methodology delivered using natural colours and materials results in Kvik kitchens being distinctively and quintessentially classic Danish design.
“The service experience is essential, especially for expat purchasers in Thailand. Our sales design teams are highly trained and we have English-speaking team members in most stores. Our installation teams are fully employed and equally committed to delivering excellent service. We currently achieve 97%, 5 Star customer feedback on our kitchen installations.”
The outstanding Value package that Kvik offers is also backed up by a 10-year guarantee on all cabinets and a 25-year guarantee on all mechanical hardware. So investors as well as private owners can be assured that their Kvik kitchen will withstand the rigors of day-to-day use.
Uniquely, all Kvik furniture is delivered from its warehouse in Bang Phli and, as a result, Kvik offers a four-week lead-time as opposed to the 14 weeks or more customers may have to wait for any other imported kitchen.
This also enables Kvik to turn around spare parts or replacements very quickly, so not holding up the completion of the kitchen.
So is Kvik purely a retail provider in Thailand?
“No, not at all,” said Iain
“Retail is our key area of focus but we also have a structure that allows us to service projects. Of course, our prices are at a small premium over locally produced product or that imported from China and, as a result, we tend to work most closely with small-to-medium developments where the owner is close to the specification and appreciates the importance, in a competitive market, of differentiating through quality and detail.”
Kvik is currently engaged in two schemes in the Pattaya area, Turtle Cove a scheme of 30 exclusive condominiums in Pratamnak Soi 4 and Sunplay, Bang Saray, an exclusive development of condominiums and private pool villas set in a beautiful tropical garden environment with views out to the sea.
For the Pattaya store opening Kvik offered private retail customers a fantastic deal with discounts of 30% on furniture for the first 30 customers to buy from the store.
The Kvik Pattaya store is owned and operated by Jacek Paruch. Jacek speaks English, Polish and Russian and his team speak English and Thai.
Iain added: “Designing and buying a kitchen can be a complicated process and, of course, a significant financial commitment. So it is essential that our customers can communicate well with our team and have confidence that their requirements are both understood and translated into their kitchen design.”
As we made our way out of the store I asked Iain how he felt about the future for Kvik in Thailand.
“I am hugely optimistic. In terms of lifestyle the kitchen is the heart of the home. Equally, it is the kitchen and bathrooms that sell a property. So whether considering lifestyle or investment, the importance of having the best kitchen possible is huge. Given the tremendous value package, discussed earlier, that Kvik offers, I am convinced that the more we communicate our key message the more people will see Kvik as the obvious answer to their kitchen requirement and turn to us to be their provider.”
The Kvik store at Baan and Beyond, Pattaya is open seven days a week from 10am until 7pm
