With its new ownership under Chairman Kevin Oakes, UK bone china brand Royal Crown Derby is renewing its focus on the hospitality segment. Recently, we had the opportunity to visit with Nikki Green, Head of Global Hospitality for Royal Crown Derby and get her take on what hoteliers, chefs, and restaurateurs might expect from this design-driven, 200 year old, top-quality supplier. Here’s what she had to say:
Nikki Green: My unique background experience combining product and pattern design with extensive commercial sales knowledge is critical to the success of the ‘New’ Royal Crown Derby in being able to raise brand awareness and drive design led sales by engaging existing and new clients which is the lifeblood of the business.
TJ: Where does your passion for dinnerware design originate? And, why design of such an “everyday” type product?
NG: I have always had a passion for design particularly dinnerware which goes back as far as when I was at university and working on live collaborative commercial tableware briefs. The ability to satisfy a customer requirement for their tabletop, working on ideas from discussion or the initial brief is an exciting design journey to go through. Giving the customer visually stunning products that work perfectly whether for shape or pattern in an existing or new interior is hugely motivational.
TJ: While there’s certainly a rejuvenation in all areas at Royal Crown Derby, tell us about the new focus your company has on the global Hospitality segment?
NG: In 2013, we started engaging with the hospitality marketplace and had successes with The Dorchester, Waldorf Hilton London and Yorkshire-based Bettys Tea Room, England to name a few. Our focus is to be market leading in our bespoke/custom design offering for customers, to give the opportunity of working with a brand and product that is 100% British from start to finish. Alongside this, we are continuing to develop the existing shape portfolio to give it much more depth and breadth, which will give our customers more choice.
Working one-on-one with top clients like The Dorchester (left) and Betty’s Tea Room (right) to get just the right design is a specialty for Royal Crown Derby
TJ: How are you able to combine your passion for creative design and with the more practical needs of the hospitality industry?
NG: My ability to understand the commercial sales aspect in conjunction with the needs and challenges of the end user works perfectly with my passion for design to fullfil the customer’s requirements and expectations. It’s important to listen to your customers, understand and identify their needs and creatively solve any challenges that come up.
NG: You will see a flourish of design activity from Royal Crown Derby in both pattern and shape development, further developing our dinnerware designs for both standard and bespoke markets. This will support our new and exciting design directions, such as the Art Glaze and Studio Glaze ranges.
TJ: At Tabletop Journal, we speak about how much the tabletop matters to the guest dining experience. How do you see role of dinnerware and what level of importance do you feel dinnerware has in the restaurant guest dining experience?
NG: Dinnerware has a huge role to play within the dining journey. The diner interacts with the tabletop from start to finish and the product that their food is presented on greatly impacts their experience.
TJ: Today, there seems to be no end to the dinnerware options available to the catering and hospitality trade. What makes Royal Crown Derby a distinctively unique option for a chef or restaurateur when choosing their dinnerware?
NG: Royal Crown Derby’s fine bone china provides a diner with an elegant experience and the chef with a beautiful canvas to plate on. The combination of beautifully refined shapes, quality and durability aspects of bone china make Royal Crown Derby dinnerware products a perfect choice for a discerning Chef. Whether it is simple classic white or our new reactive glazed pieces within our ranges there is varied and wide choice options
TJ: Final question….how can global hospitality customers find out more about Royal Crown Derby?
NG: Please contact me directly at: ngreen@royalcrownderby.co.uk or Sales: sales@royalcrownderby.co.uk. Royal Crown Derby will be exhibiting in January at Maison et Objet Paris in Hall 7, Stand J166 and at Ambiente Frankfurt in Feb, Hall 4.1, Stand A31. Or, they can always check out our new website: www.royalcrownderby.co.uk
