Schmidt Kitchens aims is to have 100 showrooms open in the UK by 2023
Schmidt Kitchens is the leading retail kitchen brand in Europe, with a turnover of over 500 million euros and employing more than 1,500 people.
The company designs, produces and distributes innovative products and services that play a major part in home improvements in the kitchen, bathroom and interior solution marketplace.
Heart of your home
Fitted kitchens are now the norm and no longer a luxury in most households. The kitchen is now at the heart of your home and where families spend much of their time.
All Schmidt Kitchens’ products come from its six factories in the heart of Europe (five in France and one in Germany). Since 1989, the company has been developing an exclusive showroom concept and now has more than 700 showrooms around 25 countries.
UK openings
Its most recent UK openings have been in Sevenoaks, Kent and Epsom, Surrey. Schmidt Kitchens will be opening new showrooms in Ruislip, Reading, Milton Keynes, Norwich and Maidstone in the coming months.
Its Sevenoaks showroom was opened by husband and wife team Adrian and Janice Tobitt.
Adrian was previously a kitchen fitter and Janice an executive personal assistant. They wanted a business where they could work together and employ other family members as the business grew. Today, they are a team of four.
“The business is doing really well and we are so pleased we joined the Schmidt family,” Janice says.
Epsom is owned by husband and wife team, Asam and Hanisha Mohammad.
Asam previously worked for a national kitchen retailer, but wanted his own business to ensure he and his family could reap the full rewards of their efforts.
“Schmidt is at your side on a daily basis in assisting you with the success of your showroom,” Asam says. “You receive support with marketing, IT, sales administration and much more, with experts on hand when you need them.”
Training programme
Schmidt Kitchens offers a comprehensive 14-week training programme that allows the company to recruit new business owners with no previous industry experience.
Training covers all aspects of new business ownership, in addition to practical and theoretical training on Schmidt Kitchens’ products and systems.
Schmidt Kitchens franchisees pay no franchise fee or royalties. The investment level for a showroom varies depending on the size and location, but starts at around £400,000. This is typically financed by your own personal investment, a bank and Schmidt funding.
Once established, it’s a positive cash flow business with a healthy annual distributable income.
