Kitchen Studio celebrates franchise success and long-term excellence

Kitchen Studio celebrates franchise success and long-term excellence

Kitchen Studio is celebrating a standout year, with the strength of its franchise network recognised at the recent Westpac New Zealand Franchise Awards. As New Zealand’s only true national specialist kitchen retailer, with more than 40 years in the market, Kitchen Studio has built its reputation on locally owned showrooms backed by the scale, systems and support of a national brand. That combination shone through on awards night, where Paul and Karen Collins of Kitchen Studio North Shore were named Home & Lifestyle Franchisee of the Year, and the Kitchen Studio group was a finalist for Home & Lifestyle Franchise System of the Year. Adding to the celebration, several long-serving franchisees were recognised for more than 15, 20 and even 30+ years in business, underlining the brand’s depth, stability and enduring appeal.

For more than 40 years, we’ve been helping New Zealanders create the heart of their homes, kitchens that are beautiful to look at, and a pleasure to live in. Today, Kitchen Studio brings together 12 franchisees and 16 independently owned showrooms nationwide, from Auckland to Dunedin, making us the only true national specialist kitchen retailer in the country.

From those early days as a pioneering kitchen retailer, we’ve grown into New Zealand’s largest kitchen design system. Our franchisees aren’t just business owners, they’re also shareholders in the group. That shared ownership model underpins how we operate: collaboratively, with long-term thinking, and with a strong commitment to our values of Passion, Integrity, Excellence and One Team.

Across the country, our showrooms display multiple full-size kitchens using products from an approved supplier network. Behind the scenes, franchisees are supported with modern design software, in-house training, and an ongoing programme of national and local marketing, so each locally owned business can deliver consistently strong outcomes, backed by the strength of a national brand.

National recognition at the Westpac New Zealand Franchise Awards

That combination of local ownership and national capability was on full display at the 30th Westpac New Zealand Franchise Awards, hosted by the Franchise Association of New Zealand at Auckland’s Cordis Hotel. In a year that tested many businesses, the awards were a reminder of the resilience of franchising in New Zealand, and we were proud to be right at the forefront.

Home & Lifestyle Franchisee of the Year: Kitchen Studio North Shore

In the Home & Lifestyle Franchisee of the Year category, Paul and Karen Collins of Kitchen Studio North Shore took out the top honour. Their business impressed judges with its flexibility, resilience, and unwavering commitment to excellence at every step of the customer journey.

As Karen explains, it starts in the client’s home, so the team can truly understand how the kitchen needs to work for that family in real life. Paul is equally proud of how their designers and installers “live and breathe” the pursuit of excellence, something the judges noted is clearly translating into outstanding results.