Steelite Chief Executive Kevin Oakes said expanding into the retail market was a significant move. Speaking to local newpaper The Sentinel Oakes said, “Our decision to enter the consumer market is the result of extensive research into the opportunities this presents for us as an ambitious business. We have an excellent brand and reputation, and we continually get requests from the public to buy our products. So Perfect Setting is designed to meet the consumer market’s appetite for high-quality home dining ranges.”
In addition to potential business that might be done on the retail side of the tabletop business, overall brand positioning might very well also be a part of the decision to take on the consumer markets. Increasing brand awareness with consumers presents possibilities to also influence the hospitality segment’s view of the Steelite brand. Much will depend upon how the retail branding process is handled, but by launching at Trentham Estates, certainly Steelite is making a statement as to the brand direction they want to take initially.
You can read the entire Sentinel article on Steelite by going here:
http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/Pottery-firm-Steelite-open-Trentham-shop/story-17216764-detail/story.html
To see the entire collection of tabletop products offered by Steelite, go here:
http://www.steelite.com/
