Managing director of  Caple Danny Lay talks about the industry bounce back, returning to KBB, and how being a British brand is beneficial for UK retailers

“I think the industry is still rebounding from 2020”, managing director of Caple Danny Lay comments on the retail market, but says he is starting to see green shoots.

“If it had just been one issue affecting the market, we would have been the other side of it by now”, he states.

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Danny Lay points to a natural decline in the market following the COVID sales spike, as well as the much-publicised issues surrounding the war in Ukraine.

However, he also looks on the positive side: “Our sales are above COVID figures, so I’m pretty happy with that.”

And he adds: “We’ve seen it becoming busier in the last few weeks, but I think it’s still tough for retail. The biggest issue, now, is people committing to spending money on big-ticket purchases like kitchens.”

Return to KBB

Helping its retailers to entice consumers into a new kitchen purchase, Caple unveiled 18 products at Kbb Birmingham. These spanned appliances, furniture with two new ranges, and five bespoke finishes, sink and taps.

The company returned to Kbb for the first time in four years, showcasing new appliances, furniture, sinks and taps

On a stand inspired by its Leeds showroom, it featured four large displays, including a demonstration kitchen with a ceramic stone surface, featuring a concealed induction technology.

Caple also used the occasion to showcase its Classic, Sense and Sense Premium appliance hierarchy and launch induction hobs, wall hoods, ceiling hoods and fully integrated wine cabinets.

Among the launches, and developed in answer to demand from retailers, designers and homeowners, Caple launched the patented PlasmaMade E-Filter.

It combines Plasma and electrostatic discharge (ESD), to break down odours and recirculate clean air back into the room.

It also introduced a five-year guarantee on all Caple appliances, when a Sense Premium product has been purchased, with the offer available until December 31, 2024.

“As far as cooking is concerned, the Black Glass finish across many products was the main reason for the show”, says Danny Lay.

The same aesthetic is featured across its high-end Sense Premium and mid-priced Sense appliances, allowing designers to mix and match across collections.

“We hit the design at the right time for the market and we’ve had a lot of displays out, subsequently”, says Danny Lay.

He continues: “We hadn’t exhibited at the show for four years and there was a demand for us to be back. People were looking forward to seeing us and we did see a lot of people.

‘We had a big presence with our stand, hosted Lawrence Llewellyn Bowen, and won the Best Kitchen Stand Award.”

Sink and tap spike

Having started out distributing appliances 47 years’ ago, they remain the largest share of the company’s sales.

Participating at Kbb Birmingham, Caple was presented an award for its stand

Danny Lays says appliances are an aggressive market, as he explains: “There’s some very competitive pricing from all the major manufacturers because they’re trying to keep market share.”

However, Danny Lay adds: “We’re doing particularly well on sinks and taps. We launched two pot fillers in two colours at the show.

“I was surprised at the interest in those because it is a niche product. However anybody who has a large range cooker has the problem of moving a pan of water to the hob, so you can fill a pan whilst it is on the hob.

“We’ve already taken display orders for these and they will be due to launch in September.”

Benefit of British brand

Caple believes it has an advantage as it is a British brand and understands the peculiarities of the market.

Ember taps have handles that can match the oven and furniture handles

“We are aimed at the UK market and the Irish market, of course, and we can focus our attention on the local market.

‘If you look at sinks, for example, the bowl and a half model is very common in the UK but is rare throughout the rest of the world. Double ovens are also fairly rare in Europe.”

And Danny Lay believes being a supplier of furniture and sinks, alongside appliances, is beneficial for retailers.

Not only can the company offer the same decors across appliances handles, such as gold and copper, to match sink and tap finishes, appliances are made to fit its British furniture.

“We showed fully integrated wine cabinets – 450mm and 880mm high in our kitchen furniture at KBB Birmingham”, Lay expands.

Early days for connectivity

While Kbb Birmingham 2020, saw Caple introduce WiFi connectivity in its Sense Premium ovens, Danny Lay admits: “With the popularity of air fryers for their simplicity, we need to show people WiFI ovens are as easy to use.”

Showroom at Bristol HQ is used for retailer and now customer training

He continues: “With our Sense Premium ovens, you can turn them on and press “go” and they start cooking at 180˚C fan oven, which is the same as an airfryer.

But our Wi-Fi ovens have 23 functions, you can pre-programme cooking functions – starting out defrosting then going to cook and then keep warm – and control that from your phone. But we must train people how to do that, and we have to get that message across.

Experience showrooms

As part of that message, Caple has opened two experience showrooms – at its HQ in Bristol and Leeds – which have trained around 1,000 trade professionals on its WiFi ovens and wider range.

The Kbb Birmingham stand was based on the design of the Caple showroom in Leeds

And further supporting its customers Caple has started training consumers. “So if somebody buys a Sense Premium oven, they can be educated on how to use the products in our showrooms. We are also prepared to do training in the consumers’ home.”

Adding to these, Caple has opened a Caple Studio at its distributor Potter Cowan in Belfast. So the same opportunity will be open to Irish retailers and their customers.

With the growth of its experience showrooms, will that change how the company supplies its appliances to market?

“That’s an interesting question. You now see manufacturers going direct to consumers and that is not a business model we choose to follow.

“We can’t offer the same level of support to the consumer that a retailer can.

“The last thing I want to do is undercut my retail customers. It is tough for kitchen retailers and they need to make sure they buy from the right suppliers.”

Expanding Caple Studios

Supplying a range of customers from merchants through to independent specialists, Caple has worked with several retailers to open solus Caple Studios.

Hoth Kitchens in Cotswolds is a solus Caple Studio

There are seven Caple Studios across the UK, such as Hoth Kitchens in the Cotswolds, with its latest opening in Falmouth.

“I’d like there to be 10 showrooms by the end of the year. We must make sure that they are in the right location with the right customer base”, says Danny Lay.

Having undertaken market research, Caple found its customer base was in the affluent 50+ age group and discovered the hotspots where that demographic lives. “So when we start talking to a retailer about a Caple Studio, we can see whether they fit within a Caple customer area.”

So what are his ambitions for the Caple brand over the next couple of years?

Danny Lay concludes: “We’d like to see the brand continue to grow and become more recognisable to consumers.

“We have a unique message; we’re a family brand, we are based in the UK and we understand how the UK market works.”