ABOUT US
Kitchen Studio commenced operations in Southland in 1983 under the name KitchenPak. The original concept was for a "ready to assemble" product aimed at the home handyman. This initial thinking was coloured by the image of the traditional kiwi as a do-it-yourself innovator.
Initial response by the public was slow and in 1984 the company was put up for sale and the ownership changed. The focus of the new owners was to improve what they saw as critical factors necessary for the success of the business: namely;
- Offering an improved design service
- Instituting a detailed sales system.
This revised activity was initially trialled at one location and immediately proved successful. This model became the basis of building our very successful franchise network over the following years.
Growth over the following years was rapid and dramatic. In 1988 KitchenPak received a Designmark award from the New Zealand Industrial Design council for the range of cabinetry being provided to the market.
As KitchenPak continued to expand they began to receive more requests from customers for a full service offer, whereby KitchenPak undertook the installation process for customers. It appeared that while the majority of New Zealanders were willing and able to take on most DIY projects themselves, when it came to kitchens they would rather get a kitchen specialist involved.
Market research was commissioned and Kitchenpak’s understanding of the market trend towards a full service offering was confirmed. The DIY market was evolving into a DIFM (do it for me) market. Plans for development of the product range, extended service, and updated branding were formulated, culminating in the launch of Kitchen Studio in mid 1994.
In 2003 Kitchen Studio was again sold - this time to a consortium of existing Kitchen Studio franchise owners. Like Victor Kiam and Remington Products “We liked it so much that we bought the Company”
Kitchen Studio remains a market leader in kitchen design in New Zealand, and intends to remain at the forefront of the industry through a process of continual improvement.
Kitchen Studio is proud to be a privately owned New Zealand company. With the benefits of scale Kitchen Studio can offer outstanding value to our customers while maintaining the security of having our stores owned and operated by local Franchise Owners.