Elixir (Volume 1, Issue 5)
Innovation
in the Kitchen
Branding and engineering/product design are usually thought of as two entirely separate disciplines, but a new line of products — available at such mass market retailers as Crate and Barrel, Bed, Bath and Beyond, and Linens and Things — is proving otherwise. The Elemental Kitchen brand, developed by Nectar with Asian-based manufacturer SinoGlass Company, Ltd., is currently proving that design and branding work best when they are intelligently intertwined.
As it happens, intelligence is at the very heart of the Elemental Kitchen , a series of products that present uniquely thoughtful solutions for easy and pleasant food preparation. The collection is led by oil and vinegar dispensers with a patented pump for accurately measured sprays, perfect for precise cooks and diet conscious salad lovers. The Elemental Kitchen also features “Fresh Count Storage” containers, which provide precise electronic information regarding how long food has been stored, and magnetically linked spice jars — available in both salt and pepper pairs and six-bottle sets for easily stackable storage of multiple spices.
The development for each item started with contextual research examining how these kitchen products are used. With this information in hand, Nectar and SinoGlass then worked together to create new product concepts that led to intellectual property suitable not only for the initial products, but for potential multiple spin-off SKUs later on.
Having fashioned a line of products for the kitchen with high consumer appeal and strong sales potential, the next step was to implement the branding strategy designed to tie the products together. Unifying the products under the Elemental Kitchen rubric in terms of both packaging and promotions, the branding theme is strongly conveyed on the front page for the line’s website . Inspired by the periodic table of the elements familiar to all beginning science students, the page illustrates the advanced technological and scientific aspects of each product in the line.
Based in Qindao , China , SinoGlass, is one of the world’s fastest growing houseware manufacturers, currently exporting products to over 150 countries on six continents. While the company has seen a great deal of success in many territories, they have been especially pleased with the progress of the Elemental Kitchen brand.
“In talking to both the consumers and retail chain buyers about the kitchen segment; the one thing that they both appreciated was “meaningful innovation”; i.e. satisfying a need with a smart design that allows the user to do a specific task in the kitchen a bit easier. “ said Cary Chow, Nectar’s Vice President. “We’ve been delighted to have this validated by the news from Sino Glass President Rock Zhang that the brand is now enjoying a terrific response from retailers who have embraced the new brand and its products along with the customers who are enjoying using the items in their kitchens.”