Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Quooker brand, UK managing director Stephen Johnson outlined the company’s plans for 2023.

Based in the Netherlands, the boiling water tap company was established in the UK nearly 16 years ago, as a one-man operation run by Johnson.

Quooker UK now employs over 130 people and has a £100million turnover in the UK and Ireland.

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“Each year, we’ve shown improvement on the last”, explained Johnson, who continued: “The objective remains the same as it did Day One, we must ensure that each new kitchen and/or household in the UK and Ireland is installed with a Quooker tap.”

Johnson explained the product was underpinned with an “unswerving” ambition to provide “a world-class service – a service that we strive to continually improve”.

He added: “We want to be the best in class and we see service as one of the key differentiators. I also want this for our industry. I’m desperate to see the KBB industry thrive, develop, prosper and diversify.”

As part of its plans to continually improve its service, Quooker has recently opened Irish headquarters in Dublin, and is set to open a new HQ in Manchester to house the entire team in 2023.

In addition, Johnson stated the company would be further developing its virtual and augmented reality to enhance communication, at distance, with all of its partners.

Set to introduce the Front tap in 2023, with controls at the fore of the spout, Johnson believes sales opportunities will be driven, not impeded, by the cost of living crisis.

Stating how the COVID pandemic led to an industry boom, Johnson pointed out the cost-of-living crisis will also offer kitchen designers a sales opportunity for sustainable products.

“Recently we’ve undergone some of the toughest trading conditions the industry has ever faced. However, as an industry, these crisis has brought us benefits.

“Who would have thought, the darkest moments of COVID would lead us to an industry boom? And now, with the cost of living crisis, I once again see an opportunity for us.

“The crisis has awakened consumers to the fact that we need to look at ways to save money and seemingly their focus is driving them, unwittingly, to become more sustainable.

“This presents us with an amazing opportunity. The consumer is now acutely more aware that money can be saved by investing in more sustainable products.

“They are also motivated to seek them out, as they are being told daily by all the news channels that this is how you can save money in a cost of living crisis.

“Sustainability is now a huge agenda topic for most customers and I hope we, as an industry, embrace this and learn how to explain and promote it in a simple, meaningful way that consumers can understand.”

This drive towards sustainability will  also see Quooker develop its relationship with UKE and introduce a service to allow consumers to swap a reservoir, saving waste going to landfill.

However, Johnson pointed out Quooker UK has not solely focused on sales through its business, but also believes it plays a bigger role in supporting the industry: “I passionately believe we all have a wider responsibility to support wherever possible.

“That’s why we have launched countless initiatives to help our dealers and the wider network. It’s my intention that we continue to do this during 2023.”

He exclaimed Quooker would continue with more “aggressive” support and investment into the trade associations BiKBBI and Kbsa.

“It is my intention to help these associations develop, grow and achieve their industry objectives”, Johnson said.

And he concluded by urging the KBB industry to join together to benefit from sales and help solve the skills gap: “Most of all, though, I hope as an industry, manufacturers and retailers unite in a proactive and co-ordinated approach to leverage the opportunity created by the cost-of-living crisis, to promote more sustainable products, and that we also create a step change in improvement to fill the skills gap, which is of huge concern to me.”